Chemical data for Pt - Platinum | PhysLink.com

Platinum

 Platinum 
Pt
Atomic Number: 78
Atomic Weight: 195.08
Element Type: Transition Metal
Crystal Structure: Cubic Face Centered
Melting Point: 1768.4°C = 3215.12°F = 2041.55 K
Boiling Point: 3825.0°C = 6917.0°F = 4098.15 K
Critical Temp: °C = °F = K
Atomic Radius: 1.83 Å (Å = Angstrom = 10-10 m)
Covalent Radius: 1.3 Å
Electronegativity: 2.2

History

(Sp. platina, silver) Discovered in South America by Ulloa in 1735 and by Wood in 1741.The metal was used by pre-Columbian Indians.


Sources

Platinum occurs native, accompanied by small quantities of iridium, osmium, palladium,ruthenium, and rhodium, all belonging to the same group of metals. These are found in thealluvial deposits of the Ural mountains, of Columbia, and of certain western Americanstates. Sperrylite, occurring with the nickel-bearing deposits of Sudbury, Ontario, is thesource of a considerable amount of metal.

The large production of nickel makes up for the fact that is only one part of theplatinum metals in two million parts of ore.