Ruthenium
Calendar week 44 in this the International Year of Chemistry means element number 44 and that is Ruthenium with the chemical symbol Ru.. This transition metal has 44 electrons and therefore is in 44th position. This white metal is often grouped with rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum to make up the Platinum group metals.
Ruthenium doesn't react with air at normal temperatures and because of this it doesn't tarnish.
It was first discovered in Russia in the mid 1800s and was named after the latin name for Russia - Ruthenia. Ruthenium is sometimes found as a free metal, often along with other platinum group metals.
Ruthenium is very rare so people are unlikely to come across any ruthenium compounds in normal day to day activities however they these chemicals are considered toxic to humans.
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