Platinum (Pt)

Platinum is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silver-white transition metal.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Platinum was worked by pre-Columbian South American cultures and was described for European science by Antonio de Ulloa after his 1735 expedition.
• The dense, ductile metal is remarkably inert, resisting oxidation and most acids while excelling as a catalyst.
• Its largest use is in catalytic converters, and it also appears in cisplatin chemotherapy drugs, laboratory crucibles, and fine jewelry.

Specifications & Metrics

• NUM: 78
• SYMBOL: Pt
• CATEGORY: Transition Metal
• ATOMIC MASS: 195.08 u
• ELECTRONEGATIVITY: 2.28 Pauling
• ATOMIC RADIUS: 209 pm
• IONIZATION ENERGY: 9 eV
• ELECTRON AFFINITY: 2.128 eV
• MELTING POINT: 2041.55 K
• BOILING POINT: 4098 K
• DENSITY: 21.46 g/cm³
• ELECTRON CONFIGURATION: [Xe]6s1 4f14 5d9
• OXIDATION STATES: +4, +2
• STANDARD STATE: Solid
• GROUP BLOCK: Transition metal
• YEAR DISCOVERED: 1735