Pt
Platinum
Atomic number: 78Mass: 195.084 uCategory: Transition Metal
About Platinum
Platinum is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. It is one of the rarer elements in the Earth's crust and occurs in some nickel and copper ores. It is used extensively in jewellery and catalytic converters.
Properties
Period
6
Group
10
Block
D
Category
Transition Metal
Electronegativity
2.28 (Pauling)
Ionization Energy
870 kJ/mol
Melting Point
2041 K (1768°C)
Boiling Point
4098 K (3825°C)
Density
21.45 g/cm³
Oxidation States
+2, +4
Electron Configuration
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d⁹ 6s¹
[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹ 6s¹
Shell 1:2e⁻
Shell 2:8e⁻
Shell 3:18e⁻
Shell 4:32e⁻
Shell 5:17e⁻
Shell 6:1e⁻
Real-World Uses
Catalytic converters
Jewellery
Cancer treatment (cisplatin)
Fuel cells
Electrodes
Fun Fact
The original international standard for the kilogram was a platinum-iridium cylinder stored in Paris — the most important lump of metal ever made!