Chromium is a
chemical element with symbol
Cr and
atomic number 24. It is the first element in
Group 6. It is a steely-grey,
lustrous,
hard and brittle
metal which takes a high polish, resists tarnishing, and has a high melting point. The name of the element is derived from the
Greek word χρῶμα,
chrōma, meaning
color, because many of its compounds are intensely colored.