Quick answerPlatinum (Pt) is a transition metal with atomic number 78 and an atomic mass of 195.08 (2023), in group 10, period 6. It was discovered by Antonio de Ulloa in 1735. It is used for catalytic converters and jewellery. Its electron configuration is [Xe] 4f14 5d9 6s1.
Platinum is rarer than gold, denser than lead, and so resistant to corrosion that it survives inside car exhausts for the life of the vehicle. Catalytic converters use it to scrub fumes, chemists use it as a catalyst, and doctors use platinum drugs to fight cancer. Jewellers prize it for wedding rings that never tarnish.
Key facts
| Symbol | Pt |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 78 |
| Atomic mass | 195.08 (IUPAC standard atomic weight, 2023) |
| Category | transition metal |
| Group | 10 |
| Period | 6 |
| Block | d-block |
| Electron configuration | [Xe] 4f14 5d9 6s1 |
| Discovered | Antonio de Ulloa, 1735 |
| Uses | catalytic converters, jewellery, cancer chemotherapy drugs, laboratory equipment, fuel cells |
Overview
Platinum is rarer than gold, denser than lead, and so resistant to corrosion that it survives inside car exhausts for the life of the vehicle. It has atomic number 78, an atomic mass of 195.08, and the electron configuration [Xe] 4f14 5d9 6s1, and it sits in group 10, period 6 of the periodic table. Antonio de Ulloa reported it in 1735 from South America, where Spanish miners had dismissed it as worthless platina, little silver, because it would not melt in their furnaces. Platinum's great value is as a catalyst: catalytic converters use it to scrub carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides from exhaust fumes, chemists use it to speed reactions, and fuel cells use it to combine hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. Doctors use platinum drugs such as cisplatin to fight cancer, and laboratories trust platinum crucibles and electrodes because almost nothing attacks them. Jewellers prize it for wedding rings that never tarnish, and investors hold it as a precious metal. Platinum is mined mainly in South Africa and Russia, and its price swings with demand from the car industry.
Frequently asked questions
What is platinum used for?
Platinum is mainly used in catalytic converters, which scrub carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides from car exhaust fumes. It is also used as a catalyst in chemistry and fuel cells, in cancer drugs such as cisplatin, in laboratory equipment, and in jewellery for rings that never tarnish. It is mined mainly in South Africa and Russia.
What is the symbol for platinum?
The chemical symbol for platinum is Pt, from its Spanish name platina, meaning little silver, because miners first dismissed it as worthless silver. It has atomic number 78 and a standard atomic mass of 195.08, and it sits in group 10 and period 6. Antonio de Ulloa reported it in 1735 from South America.
What is the atomic number of platinum?
Platinum has atomic number 78, so it is the seventy-eighth element in the periodic table. Its atom holds seventy-eight protons and seventy-eight electrons, and its standard atomic mass is 195.08. It is a transition metal in group 10 and period 6, with the electron configuration [Xe] 4f14 5d9 6s1, and it is rarer than gold.
Is platinum a metal?
Yes, platinum is a metal, a transition metal in group 10 of the periodic table and a member of the platinum group. It is dense, silvery-white and highly resistant to corrosion, which is why it survives in car exhausts and laboratories. It is rarer than gold, and jewellers prize it for wedding rings that never tarnish.
Is platinum rarer than gold?
Yes, platinum is rarer than gold. Far less platinum is mined each year than gold, and its deposits are concentrated in South Africa and Russia. That scarcity is one reason platinum is precious, though its price also depends on demand from the car industry, which uses it in catalytic converters, so it does not always cost more than gold.
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Periodic table — all 118 elements
- Hafnium (Hf) — another transition metal, atomic number 72
- Tantalum (Ta) — another transition metal, atomic number 73
- Tungsten (W) — another transition metal, atomic number 74
- Rhenium (Re) — another transition metal, atomic number 75
- Osmium (Os) — another transition metal, atomic number 76
- Iridium (Ir) — another transition metal, atomic number 77
- Gold (Au) — another transition metal, atomic number 79
- Mercury (Hg) — another transition metal, atomic number 80
- Rutherfordium (Rf) — another transition metal, atomic number 104
- Dubnium (Db) — another transition metal, atomic number 105
- All transition metal elements — on the periodic table
Sources & last updated
- CIAAW — Standard Atomic Weights
- PubChem Periodic Table
- Wikipedia — Timeline of chemical element discoveries
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.