Wanted: Platinum (Pt)
By: Joshua House
The Beginning of Platinum
The first people to recognize Platinum as a distinct metal were the Spaniards in 1735. Though the first to write about Platinum was an Italian named Julius Scaliger in 1557. At the time, the Spaniards could not melt Platinum. Instead they sinter it with gold and charcoal. The Spaniards first named the the white metal Platina, other known as "little silver". It was told that Platinum is a very scarce metal. The price for Platinum these days are very high and hard to find. In very few places around the world, Platinum can be found in streambeds as flakes or nuggets. All elements are usually valued for one main reason. It could be valued for its' appearance, usefulness, life-saving quality, or its' rarity. Platinum is different because it is valued for all of these reasons.
Platinum as Jewelry
Jewelry made of Platinum last a lot longer because it does not tarnish easily. A long time ago when the Spaniards first discovered Platinum, they did not know how to melt the metal. So instead they sintered it with gold and charcoal to add color to the jewelry.
Fun Facts About Platinum
Platinum directly reacts with Chlorine and other Halogens. It is mainly used as a pure substance instead of a compound. Platinum is used for coating missile nose cones. It was first discovered in Central America by the Europeans. The atomic number for Platinum is 78. Platinums' melting point is 1768.2*C. Platinums density is 21.5.
Use Range for Platinum
37% of Platinum is used directly for the automobile industry. Another 23% of Platinum is used for other industrial applications around the world. The final 40% of Platinum is used for jewelry.
Citing My Sources
For Online Information: "Platinum." - Element Information, Properties and Uses. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2015. <http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/78/platinum>.
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