* Platinum is a member of the transition metals family:
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PLATINUM / Pt / 78
A shiny, silvery-white, malleable, ductile, dense metal that is
highly resistant to corrosion; it will not oxidize in air, no matter
how highly it is heated. Six isotopes are found in nature:
Pt<195/78> / 35%
Pt<194/78> / 33%
Pt<196/78> / 25%
Pt<198/78> / 7%
Pt<192/78> / 1%
Pt<190/78> / 0.01%
All are stable except for Pt<190/78>, which has a half-life of about
7E11 years.
atomic weight: 195.078
abundance: 75th
density: 21.45 gm/cc
melting point: 1,772 C
boiling point: 3,827 C
valence: 1? 2 3 <4>
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Platinum is the most common of the "platinum group" of metals, which also includes ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, and iridium. Platinum is produced at a level of a few hundred tonnes a year. It is heavily used in jewelry, sometimes being alloyed in a small amount of iridium to increase hardness. It also has some industrial uses, particularly as a catalyst.
