Ale Ibarra

PM Pod
09/25/17
Platinum Essay

Platinum is an element that, personally, I believe is more valuable than gold.

Platinum is a rare element; its only about a millionth of 1% of the Earths crust, and a tenth

millionth of the other layers on Earth . Platinum was rediscovered in 1735 by Antonio de

Ulloa in South America, and was actually used even before that by pre-Columbian Indians

who created artifacts out of a white gold-platinum alloy. The scientific facts of platinum are

that it is number 78 on the Periodic Table, meaning it has 78 protons, as well 31 artificial

and synthesized isotopes, 5 of which are stable. Platinum has a resistance to high

temperatures, making it useful when applied to defense systems, such as missile nose

cones and military aircraft applications. It is also believed that the moon and meteorites

have a higher percentage of platinum than Earth.

Platinum has been involved in many historical impacts; Johann Wolfgang

Dbereiner, a German chemist, is known for inventing the first portable lighter. It is known

as the Dbereiners lamp, which relied on the ability of platinum to absorb massive

amounts of hydrogen gas. It produced a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen,

creating water as well as a flame. Platinum is also found more commonly in a catalytic

converter, used to clean up the exhaust the car lets out into the atmosphere. It works by

using a catalyst material, usually made of platinum, palladium, and rhodium, and converts

carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides, all of which make the air dirty and
 Ale Ibarra
PM Pod
09/25/17
make people sick, into carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogen, all of which are less harmful.

Platinum is also very common in the health and medical realm. Platinum has low reactivity

levels, and is common in anticancer drugs. About 50 percent of cancer therapy patients

currently use platinum-containing drugs, and has even been used to treat tumors in

animals. If knowing that platinum helped treat cancer patients before 1845, this

chemotherapy could have cured more cancer patients and less deaths due to cancer would

have been recorded.

Military, medical, or just simply jewelry, platinum has made a valid impact to the

world. Without it, our cancer deaths would most likely rise, our military warfare would be

weaker, or we wouldnt have the motors we have today. Though for its rarity, platinum is

very important to human life.