Platinum
Atomic Number: 78
Platinum is the 78th element in the periodic table and it is one of the transition metals. It is a dense, malleable, unreactive, expensive, silverish-white looking metal. It is extremely resistant to tarnishing and corrosion. It is one of the heaviest metals in the periodic table. Platinum is also sometimes called "the white gold" as it has many similar qualities to gold. It is more expensive than gold though. That is because it is rarer. Platinum is used in jewelry, decoration and even dental work. It is in the group of elements called the platinum group. It contains, platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, and osmium. Platinum is mined from the ground and is difficult to find. It is found in ores together with the elements in the platinum group. These ores can be found in South Africa and Russia in second place. Platinum is discovered in South America by Antonio de Ulloa in 1735. The name is derived from the Spanish word "platina", meaning "silver".
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