Platinum

=Platinum= Description:

Platinum is a beautiful silvery-white metal, when pure, and is malleable and ductile. It has a coefficient of expansion almost equal to that of soda-lime-silica glass, and is therefore used to make sealed electrodes in glass systems. The metal does not oxidise in air. It is insoluble in hydrochloric and nitric acid, but dissolves when they are mixed as aqua regia, forming chloroplatinic acid (H2PtCl6), an important compound. It is corroded by halogens, cyanides, sulphur and alkalis. Hydrogen and oxygen gas mixtures explode in the presence of platinum wire. Table: basic information about and classifications of platinum.|| * Name: Platinum
 * Symbol: Pt
 * Atomic number: 78
 * Atomic weight: 195.084 (9)
 * Standard state: solid at 298 K
 * CAS Registry ID: 7440-06-4
 * * Group in periodic table: 10
 * Group name: Precious metal or platinum group metal
 * Period in periodic table: 6
 * Block in periodic table: d-block
 * Colour: greyish white
 * Classification: Metallic ||



Basic Facts
Platinum is a metal with 78 protons and its standard atomic weight is 195.08. It has an order of 2, 8, 18, 32, 17, and 1 order of electrons per shell. It is found as a solid and gas an average density of 21.45 g/cm. The structure of this transition metal is considered to be 'face-centering cubic'

Platinum's name is derived from the spanish term that means "Little Silver of the Pinto river". This metal is dense, ductile and melleable, and is a transition metal, which is located on the bottom-ish right section of the periodic table. The transition metal has 6 naturally occurring isotopes, and is one of the rarest elements to find in the earth's crust.

It is the least reactive metal and it is extremely rare. It is sometimes mistaken for silver and is most often found combined with other platinum group metals.

Physical Characteristics
This transition metal is found to be silvery-white and malleable. Platinum is found to be more ductile (Materials ability to deform under stress) than copper, silver and gold, which makes it the most ductile of all the pure metals. Platinum does NOT oxidize at any temperature.This transition metal is highly resistant to wear and scratches, which makes it a common use for fine jewelry.

Platinums most common oxidation states are +2 and +4. It also has a +1 and +3 oxidation state, but it is less common and is often stabilized by metallic bonding. It tends to adopt a 16 electron square planar geometry.
 * Chemical Characteristics**

History
Platinum is found naturally in the alluvial sands of various rivers. There is little evidence of use of platinum amongst ancient peoples. However, this metal was used by pre-Columbian Americans near modern-day Ecuador. They made artifacts of white-gold platinum alloy.Today, platinum is obtained commercially as a by-product from nickel and copper mining processes. During electrorefining of copper, noble metals such as silver, gold and platinum metals settle to the bottom. Platinum was first mentioned by the Italian Julius Caesar Scaliger in 1557. Also, in 1748 the Spanish Antonio de Ulloa published a book containing a detailed description of platinum.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, short-term exposure to platinum salts may cause irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, and long-term exposure may cause both respiratory and skin allergies. The current OSHA standard is 2 micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged over an 8-hour work shift. Certain platinum complexes are used in chemotherapy, and show good activity against some tumors. Cisplatin is particularly effective against testicular cancer; the cure rate was improved from 10% to 85 %. However, the side effects are severe. Cisplatin causes cumulative, irreversible kidney damage and deafness. As with other ototoxic agents, deafness may be secondary to interactions with melanin in the stria vascularis. Binding of platinum to RNA has been reviewed
 * Health Issues**

Platinum's rarity as a metal has caused advertisers to associate it with exclusivity and wealth. "Platinum" debit cards have greater privileges than do " [|gold] " ones. [|[55]] " [|Platinum awards] " are the second highest possible, ranking above "gold", " [|silver] " and " [|bronze] ", but below [|diamond]. For example, in the United States, a musical album that has sold more than 1 million copies, will be credited as "platinum", whereas an album that sold more than 10 million copies will be certified as "diamond". [|[56]] Some products, such as blenders and vehicles, with a silvery-white color are identified as "platinum". Platinum is considered a precious metal, although its use is not as common as the use of gold or silver. The frame of the [|Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother], manufactured for her coronation as Consort of [|King George VI] , is made of platinum. It was the first British crown to be made of this particular metal. [|[57]]