Chromium

**Symbol:** Cr **Atomic number:** 24 **International name:** Chromium **Relative Atomic Weight:** 51.996 **Description:** Chromium is known for being one of the hardest metals and highly resistant to chemical reactions. It also exhibits excellent resistance to external effects on account of its protective oxide layer. **Applications:** Chromium is used in alloy production to increase hardness and mechanical resistance. It is also used for corrosion protection on metals through the process of plating. This process is used, for example, to apply a surface treatment to surgical instruments. **Occurrence:** Chromium is relatively abundant in nature and is found in minerals such as chromium iron oxide FeO·Cr₂O₃. **Structure:** Chromium crystallizes in a cubic system, forming a body-centered cubic (BCC) structure.