Element identity
Atomic number, symbol, relative atomic mass display and periodic position are established reference data.
Atomic / electronic model
Ground-state electron configuration and atomic reference values are compiled/evaluated data; orbital graphics are teaching probability models, not photographs.
Material / molecular structure
The displayed ordinary structure is based on established material or molecular science; simplified viewers are labelled as teaching schematics where exact crystallographic coordinates are not rendered.
Temperature / phase path
Transition values are reference/evaluated values for the stated teaching path; pressure, purity and allotropy can matter.
Geography
Real pins use reviewed place/dataset context. Conceptual layers are used when country pins would imply false occurrence, unsafe inventory or an incomplete global distribution.
The lens describes evidence status, not confidence theatre. “Unknown” is kept unknown, and teaching schematics are not presented as direct measurements.
Platinum (Pt)
Platinum is a dense, corrosion-resistant Group 10 transition metal whose d-electron chemistry, catalytic surfaces and scarce geological supply make it important in catalysts, jewellery, laboratory equipment and advanced technologies.
Platinum atomic number, mass, electron configuration and key properties
Platinum: quick answers
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does platinum have?
Platinum’s atomic number is 78, so every platinum atom has 78 protons, and a neutral atom also has 78 electrons. Its most common natural isotope, platinum-195, has 117 neutrons (other isotopes have different neutron counts).
What is the symbol for platinum?
The chemical symbol for platinum is Pt.
Is platinum a solid, liquid or gas at room temperature?
Platinum is a solid at room temperature (about 25 °C).
What family (group) is platinum in?
Platinum is a transition metal, in group 10, period 6 of the periodic table.
What is the electron configuration of platinum?
The ground-state electron configuration of platinum is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹ 6s¹.
From atomic number to chemistry
Read these as a chain of causes, not as isolated facts. Each step links to the concept hub if you want the underlying idea explained.
78 protons define platinum; a neutral atom contains 78 electrons.
This reviewed ground-state reference connects atomic structure to the element’s chemistry.
Periodic position supplies family context, but element-specific evidence and exceptions still matter.
Isotope notation separates proton identity from neutron count and nuclear behavior.
Platinum in its period and family
Platinum sits in Group 10 below palladium and near gold in Period 6. Transition-metal trends are influenced by d-electron occupancy, relativistic effects and solid-state electronic structure rather than one simple monotonic rule.
Platinum Visual Lab
Decode the platinum tile, rotate a ¹⁹⁵Pt teaching nucleus, inspect 5d/6s probability shapes, explore an FCC lattice and connect platinum to catalysts, jewellery, fuel-cell chemistry and concentrated mining geography.
Every mark points to one exact feature
The numbered markers explain the same information system used throughout Element Lookup. Unknown or predicted fields remain visibly labelled rather than being replaced with guesses.
Platinum in one minute
Atomic number 78 means 78 protons.
The reference ground-state configuration is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹ 6s¹.
Platinum is a dense FCC metal and a member of the platinum-group metals.
Several stable isotopes occur naturally; ¹⁹⁵Pt is the most abundant.
Mine supply and reserves are geographically concentrated, especially in southern Africa.
Shell rings organize electron counts. They are not electron trajectories or orbital shapes.
2 · 8 · 18 · 32 · 17 · 1 electrons
Selected 6s and specifically named 5d orbital views. Platinum’s reference ground-state configuration is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹ 6s¹. The 5d subshell contains five spatial orbitals; 5d_z² and 5d_xy are shown as representative members rather than treating “5d” as one unique shape.
Fm-3m · face-centred cubic. The viewer is evidence-aware: measured structures are identified as such; unknown bulk structures stay unknown.
Teaching visualization; not a literal finite sample or thermal trajectory.What this model does—and does not—show
Selected 6s and specifically named 5d orbital views. Platinum’s reference ground-state configuration is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹ 6s¹. The 5d subshell contains five spatial orbitals; 5d_z² and 5d_xy are shown as representative members rather than treating “5d” as one unique shape.
Where do I meet platinum?
Clickable learning cards connect the element to materials, environment, technology, biology or research - depending on what the evidence actually supports.
Catalysts
Platinum surfaces catalyze many industrial and emissions-control reactions.
Why can a noble-looking metal be a powerful catalyst?
Platinum combines corrosion resistance with surface electronic states that can bind and transform molecules.
FCC platinum
Bulk platinum is a dense face-centred-cubic metal with strong metallic bonding.
Nickel, palladium and platinum
Group 10 illustrates how transition-metal family resemblance survives alongside large differences in density, relativity, surface chemistry and preferred oxidation states.
| Period | 4 |
|---|---|
| Context | 3d metal |
| Period | 5 |
|---|---|
| Context | 4d PGM |
| Period | 6 |
|---|---|
| Config. | 5d⁹ 6s¹ |
| Density | 21.5 g/cm³ |
Platinum properties: atomic, physical, thermal and chemical
Categories follow the science of this element rather than a fixed decorative template. Each row carries condition/provenance context and an evidence label; unknown values stay unknown.
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic number | 78 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Relative atomic mass | 195.084 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Ground-state electron configuration | [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹ 6s¹ | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Group / period / block | Group 10 · Period 6 · d-block | Periodic-table placement | Evaluated |
| Electronegativity | 2.2 | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Reference isotope | ¹⁹⁵Pt | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| State context | Solid | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Density | 21.5 g/cm³ | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Material / molecular structure | FCC | Fm-3m · face-centred cubic | Measured |
| Classification | Transition metal · platinum-group metal | Periodic-table / chemistry classification | Evaluated |
| Structure-model scope | Fm-3m · face-centred cubic | Teaching visualization; exact crystallographic coordinates are not implied unless stated. | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting / transition reference | 2041.4 K | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Boiling / gas reference | 4098 K | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Phase-path context | Platinum remains solid to about 2041.4 K on the simplified standard-pressure path, then liquid until its boiling reference near 4098 K. | Shared phase registry drives the slider, regions and markers. | Evaluated |
| Condition warning | Temperature and pressure define phase behavior; purity/allotropy may matter. | Teaching condition statement | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary electrical behavior | Metallic conductor | Qualitative bulk behavior; exact resistivity depends on temperature, purity and alloy state. | Measured |
| Conduction model | Collective solid-state electrons | Do not interpret isolated-atom orbital clouds as literal current paths. | Reviewed |
| Surface / compound caveat | Oxides, salts and alloys can behave differently from the pure metal | Material context | Reviewed |
| Engineering values | Condition-dependent | Use condition-specific materials data for engineering calculations. | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common oxidation states | +2 and +4 common | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Ion / common ion context | Pt²⁺ (common oxidation state) | Source-reviewed; see Sources below | Evaluated |
| Periodic chemistry context | Platinum sits in Group 10 below palladium and near gold in Period 6. Transition-metal trends are influenced by d-electron occupancy, relativistic effects and solid-state electronic structure rather than one simple monotonic rule. | Element-specific interpretation | Reviewed |
| Chemistry caution | Elemental form, ions and compounds are distinct chemical objects. | Interpretive teaching rule | Reviewed |
| Property | Value | Context / provenance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¹⁹⁵Pt | Stable | about one-third of natural platinum | Evaluated |
| ¹⁹⁴Pt | Stable | major natural isotope | Evaluated |
| ¹⁹⁶Pt | Stable | major natural isotope | Evaluated |
| ¹⁹⁰Pt | Very long-lived α emitter | minor natural isotope | Evaluated |
| Teaching nucleus | ¹⁹⁵Pt · 78 protons + 117 neutrons | Reference isotope used in the nucleus model | Reviewed |
Is Platinum a solid, liquid or gas? State at temperature
Platinum remains solid to about 2041.4 K on the simplified standard-pressure path, then liquid until its boiling reference near 4098 K.
Where on Earth is Platinum found or produced?
Who discovered Platinum, and when?
Platinum-group metals were used in South America before European chemistry identified platinum as a distinct element.
Antonio de Ulloa reported platinum from South America to European science.
Methods for refining and working platinum improved substantially.
Catalysis and emissions-control applications became major technological uses.
From ore to refined platinum: high-level overview
PGM-bearing ores are mined, often with nickel, copper or chromite associations.
Concentration separates valuable mineral fractions from bulk rock.
Smelting and chemical refining separate platinum-group metals from base metals and from one another.
Recycling returns platinum from spent catalysts and other materials to the supply chain.
What is platinum used for?
Catalytic converters
Platinum-group catalysts convert harmful exhaust components into less harmful products.
Chemical catalysis
Platinum is used in selected petroleum, chemical and fine-chemical catalytic processes.
Jewellery
A dense, corrosion-resistant precious metal used in jewellery and investment products.
Medical + laboratory
Platinum materials and compounds have specialized medical, electrode and laboratory roles.
Platinum isotopes and natural abundance
¹⁹⁵Pt
Stableabout one-third of natural platinum
¹⁹⁴Pt
Stablemajor natural isotope
¹⁹⁶Pt
Stablemajor natural isotope
¹⁹⁰Pt
Very long-lived α emitterminor natural isotope
Five-question Platinum check
What is platinum’s atomic number?
What crystal structure does platinum have near room temperature?
Why is platinum important in catalytic converters?
Where is much of world platinum mine supply concentrated?
Which platinum isotope is the most abundant naturally?
Platinum questions students commonly ask
Each answer starts with the direct fact, then explains the chemistry, evidence or material context so the result is understandable rather than merely memorized.
Why is platinum a good catalyst?
Short answer: Its surface electronic structure can adsorb and activate reactants while allowing products to leave; the exact catalytic behavior depends on reaction and surface state.
A catalyst changes reaction pathways without being consumed stoichiometrically. Platinum’s value in catalysis comes from its surface electronic structure—not simply from being rare or expensive. Platinum is a dense, corrosion-resistant Group 10 transition metal whose d-electron chemistry, catalytic surfaces and scarce geological supply make it important in catalysts, jewellery, laboratory equipment and advanced technologies.
Key point: The mechanism matters: connect the observed behavior to electron structure, bonding, phase or the specific material form rather than memorizing the result alone.
Is platinum rarer than gold?
Short answer: Both are scarce, but geological abundance and production concentration differ; simple “rarer” comparisons depend on what metric is used.
Platinum sits in Group 10 below palladium and near gold in Period 6. Transition-metal trends are influenced by d-electron occupancy, relativistic effects and solid-state electronic structure rather than one simple monotonic rule. Platinum is a dense, corrosion-resistant Group 10 transition metal whose d-electron chemistry, catalytic surfaces and scarce geological supply make it important in catalysts, jewellery, laboratory equipment and advanced technologies.
Key point: Use the direct answer together with the material, isotope and evidence context shown elsewhere on the page.
What is platinum’s crystal structure?
Short answer: Near room temperature, elemental platinum is face-centred cubic.
Fm-3m · face-centred cubic. The Structure viewer is an evidence-aware teaching model: measured or defensible structures are shown as models, while genuinely unknown bulk structures remain explicitly unknown.
Key point: A teaching lattice is a scientific model, not a photograph of a finite chunk of material.
Which platinum isotope is most abundant?
Short answer: ¹⁹⁵Pt is the most abundant naturally occurring isotope.
¹⁹⁵Pt: Stable: about one-third of natural platinum. All isotopes of platinum have 78 protons; they differ in neutron count, so abundance, stability and half-life statements must be tied to a specific isotope.
Key point: Radioactivity is isotope-specific; do not apply one isotope’s nuclear behavior to every atom of the element.
Scientific sources for Platinum
- Royal Society of Chemistry — Platinum
- NIST — Platinum atomic data
- USGS — Platinum-Group Metals Statistics and Information
- USGS — Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
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