Platinum

Platinum is a chemical element. It has symbol Pt and atomic number 78. Platinum is a soft, heavy, white metal. It is a precious metal and a transition metal. Its name comes from the Spanish word  meaning "little silver".

Platinum is part of the platinum group of elements. It is on group 10 in the periodic table of elements. Its atoms have an atomic weight of 195 atomic mass units. It has 6 isotopes that is found in nature. Platinum can be found in some nickel and copper ores. 90% of platinum is found in the Ural Mountains, Colombia, the Sudbury basin of Canada, and a large reserve in South Africa.thumb|Some platinum nuggets from nature.

In the past, it was worth more than gold. Since the late 2010s, gold cost more. The element is hard to find in the Earth's crust. It has an average abundance of about 5 μg/kg. Since it is so rare, only a few hundred tonnes of Platinum are made every year.

Platinum is very dense; almost twice as dense as lead. It is malleable and ductile. This means it can be made thin sheets and it can be pulled into wire. Platinum is very stable. Acids do not change platinum. 

Platinum has many uses. The most common use of Platinum is in a vehicle's catalytic converter. It is also used in laboratory equipment, electrical contacts and electrodes, platinum resistance thermometers, dentistry equipment, and jewelry. Platinum is also used in the glass industry. There, it is used to change molten glass. Elemental platinum is not found to be dangerous to human health. Compounds that have platinum, such as cisplatin, oxaliplatin and carboplatin, are used in chemotherapy against some types of cancer.

 Related pages 
Platinum group

References

Further reading


Other websites

 Platinum at The Periodic Table of Videos (University of Nottingham)
 NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards – Platinum Centers for Disease Control and Prevention





Category:Transition metals
Category:Catalysts
Category:Precious metals
Category:Native element minerals