When was platinum discovered as an element?
Platinum has the symbol Pt, its atomic number is 78, and its atomic weight is 195.09. The name is derived from the Spanish platina, meaning “silver.” Platinum was discovered in South America independently by Antonio de Ulloa in 1735 and by N. Wood in 1741, but it had been in use by pre-Columbian Indians.
How was the platinum element discovered?
Platinum was discovered by South American peoples who produced artifacts of a white gold-platinum alloy. The first written account of platinum was from Julius C Scaliger in 1557. He describes it as a strange metal found in mines between Panama and Mexico and wrote that no fire or any of the Spanish arts could melt it.
Where can the element platinum be found?
The majority (about 80 percent) of platinum is mined in South Africa. Approximately 10 percent is mined in Russia, and the rest is found in North and South America, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Why is platinum named platinum?
Its name is derived from the Spanish term platino, meaning “little silver”. Platinum is one of the least reactive metals. It has remarkable resistance to corrosion, even at high temperatures, and is therefore considered a noble metal. Consequently, platinum is often found chemically uncombined as native platinum.
How is platinum found in nature?
Platinum in the Earth’s crust originates from ultra-mafic igneous rocks. It can therefore be associated with rocks like chromite and olivine. In nature, pure platinum is unknown and well formed crystals are very rare. Platinum is typically found as nuggets and grains.
Was platinum used in the past?
Platinum has been integrated into human life since the time of the ancient Egyptians; however, an understanding of this beautiful metal was not reached until centuries later.
Is platinum magnetic yes or no?
As platinum is not magnetic, if your piece is attracted to a magnet, you can safely say it is not platinum. If you notice a slight magnetic pull, then it is more likely your metal is white gold combined with nickel.
Who started platinum?
As with the history of gold, the history of platinum begins with the ancient Egyptians, who, more than 3,000 years ago, created gold jewelry with traces of platinum.
What elements are found in platinum?
Platinum: description. Ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum together make up a group of elements referred to as the platinum group metals (PGM).
What element family does platinum belong to?
Chemically, platinum is an element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It belongs to noble metals, being one of the rarer elements in Earth’s crust. Platinum is also a member of the family of platinum group metals (PGMs) which also includes palladium , rhodium , iridium , osmium, and ruthenium .
Is platinum a mineral or an element?
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platino, meaning “little silver”. Platinum is a member of the platinum group of elements and group 10 of the periodic table of elements.
Does platinum react with other elements?
Platinum is extremely unreactive. It’s not interested in forming bonds with other elements at all, and only does so if forced. Platinum does not react with dilute acids. Platinum can be made to react with very strong acid (nitrohydrochloric acid), but only if it is heated.