Platinum

1 Pages 161 Words

Platinum is a relatively rare, chemically inert, metallic element. It symbol
is Pt, atomic number is 78, and its atomic weight is 195.09. Platinum is one
of the heaviest substances known. One cubic foot of Platinum weighs 21 times
as much as a cubic foot of water. A grayish-white metal, Platinum has a melting
point of 1772 degrees C and a realatively high boiling point of 3827 degrees
C. It has a high fusing point, is ductile and malleable, expands slightly
upon heating, and has high electrical resistance. Platinum is seldom used
in its pure stage because it is too soft. The third most ductile metal, it
can be drawn into a thread one twenty thousandth part of an inch in thickness.
It is extremely resistant to attack by air, water, single acids and ordinary
reagents, but does dissolve in hot aqua regia, a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric
acids. Platinum has the unusual property of being able to absorb large amounts
of hydrogen at ordinary temperatures and resist it at high temperatures....