David StarkJun 28, 2024

Today we're waiting for an IKEA delivery that, according to their email, will be a 10x10x10 cm box weighing 14 kg.

So density-wise that has to contain berkelium, californium, protactinium, tantalum, uranium, gold, tungsten, plutonium, neptunium, rhenium, platinum, iridium, or osmium.

We're of course hoping for platinum, and really not for plutonium, because the critical mass is 11 kg...

Show threadMans R
@Zarkonnen Does it have to be an element?
Jun 28, 2024 at 12:52pmWeb
Show threadCoreo Jones (coreopsismajor)Jun 28, 2024
@mansr @Zarkonnen probably not but ionic salts of those elements that are dense enough would likely not be dense enough because of the nature of how bonds create space and make compounds overall lower density than pure elements. Alloys combining some of the elements might be in the density range, maybe? Offhand that's my answer but I never took inorganic chemistry
Show threadglasspshrJun 29, 2024

@coreo @mansr @Zarkonnen

It doesn’t have to be an element. Tungsten carbide has a density of 15.6 g/cc

Show threadCoreo Jones (coreopsismajor)Jun 29, 2024
@glasspusher @mansr @Zarkonnen holy crap that's w lot of g per cc
Show threadMoceletJun 29, 2024
@mansr @Zarkonnen Also it could be an alloy of some of those elements.