Pt
Platinum
Element 78 · Transition metal
Platinum (Pt)
Platinum is a dense, silvery precious metal that resists corrosion and is an outstanding catalyst.
- Transition metal
- Period 6
- Group 10
- d-block
- solid at room temperature
Key properties
- Atomic mass
- 195.08
- u
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f14 5d9 6s1
- Melting point
- 1,768.4 °C
- 2,041.55 K
- Boiling point
- 3,824.9 °C
- 4,098 K
- Density
- 21.46 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 2.28
- Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 209 pm
- van der Waals
- 1st ionisation energy
- 9 eV
Compare with every element:Electronegativity chartAtomic radius chartIonisation energy chartDensity chart of the elementsMelting point chartElectron configuration chart
Did you know?
Notable facts about platinum
- 01
Spanish conquistadors once threw platinum back into rivers, thinking it was unripe gold.
- 02
About a fifth of all manufactured goods contain or are made using platinum.
- 03
Cisplatin, a platinum compound, is one of the most widely used chemotherapy drugs.
Applications
What is platinum used for?
- Catalytic converters
- Jewellery
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Laboratory equipment and electrodes
History
Discovery & name origin
Discovered by
Year
Where
Spain (South America)
Name origin
Spanish platina, “little silver”.
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
- Atomic number
- 78
- Atomic mass
- 195.08 u
- Group
- 10
- Period
- 6
- Block
- d-block
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f14 5d9 6s1
- Full configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s1 4f14 5d9
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 32, 17, 1
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 2.28
- Electron affinity
- 2.128 eV
- Atomic radius (van der Waals)
- 209 pm
- Stable isotopes
- 5
Oxidation states
Highlighted: common oxidation states (+4, +2).
Successive ionisation energies
Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). Big jumps show where a new, inner shell begins.
- 1st870
- 2nd1,791
Physical
Physical properties & colour
Physical
Physical properties & colour
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Melting point
- 2,041.55 K · 1,768.4 °C · 3,215.1 °F
- Boiling point
- 4,098 K · 3,824.9 °C · 6,916.7 °F
- Density
- 21.46 g/cm³
- Molar heat capacity
- 25.86 J/(mol·K)
- Appearance
- Silvery white
- CPK model colour
- Copied
The CPK colour is the convention used for this element’s atoms in molecular models.
FAQ
Platinum questions
What is Pt on the periodic table?
Pt is the symbol for platinum, element 78 on the periodic table. It sits in group 10, period 6, in the transition metal category, and has an atomic mass of 195.08.
What is the atomic number of platinum?
Platinum has atomic number 78, so every platinum atom has 78 protons in its nucleus. Its symbol is Pt and its atomic mass is 195.08.
Who discovered platinum?
Platinum was discovered by Antonio de Ulloa in 1735 (Spain (South America)). The name comes from Spanish platina, “little silver”.
What is platinum used for?
Platinum is used for: catalytic converters; jewellery; chemotherapy drugs; laboratory equipment and electrodes.
Is platinum a metal?
Yes. Platinum is a transition metal, one of the metallic elements.
What is the electron configuration of platinum?
The electron configuration of platinum is [Xe] 4f14 5d9 6s1. Its 78 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 32, 17, 1.