An album or single is said to "go platinum" if it sells more than 300,000 copies. The figures possibly differ between the European and American charts. Nowadays the term is a bit meaningless, as successful music sales are measured in the millions.

See also gold record

Platinum is also the name of Apple's "Classic" appearance (window shading, grey Finder bar, the Apple Menu, etc). The traditional appearance appeared in all OS's (Systems) before OS X. The new appearance is called Aqua.

Platinum is thusly named due to it's dull grey color, but in all OS's above 8.5 (or 8.1 if you have Kalidescope), you can "skin" them by applying custom themes. This is an appearance manager function. You get this for free if you use the appearance manager API when writing an app. Mac OS has looked the same for ages. It is a huge risk for apple to change it now.
Platinum
Symbol: Pt
Atomic Number: 78
Atomic Weight: 195.08
Boiling Point: 4100 K
Melting Point: 2042.1 K
Density at 300K: 21.45 g/cm3
Covalent radius: 1.30
Atomic radius: 1.83
Atomic volume: 9.10 cm3/mol
First ionization potental: 9.0 V
Specific heat capacity: 0.013 Jg-1K-1
Thermal conductivity: 71.6 Wm-1K-1
Electrical conductivity: 9.4*106Ω-1m-1
Heat of fusion: 19.66 kJ/mol
Heat of vaporization: 510.45 kJ/mol
Electronegativity: 2.28 (Pauling's)

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To the Periodic Table

(From the Spanish platina, "silver") A silver-colored, malleable, ductile, metallic chemical element that is highly resistant to corrosion and tarnish, used as a chemical catalyst, for acid-proof containers, ignition fuses, jewelry, dental alloys, etc.

Symbol: Pt
Atomic number: 78
Atomic weight: 195.078
Density (at room temperature and pressure): 21.45 g/cc
Melting point: 1,770°C
Boiling point: 3,827°C
Ground state electron configuration: [Xe]4f145d96s1

Platinum from roundabouts

Platinum is a very valuable metal. It is used in jewellery but it’s main use is as a catalyst for a huge number of different reactions.

Most importantly, it is crucial to the functioning of catalytic converters.

One problem with platinum is that it does not often form very concentrated seams, so huge volumes of rock must be processed in order to obtain relatively small amounts of platinum. This makes catalytic converters very expensive.

The nature of catalysts means that the platinum is never used up. But in order to make the converters as efficient as possible the platinum is very finely divided which means it can be dislodged and blown out through the exhaust relatively easily.

As a consequence we are continually spreading platinum on the roads, and around roundabouts the levels of platinum are almost as high as in platinum mines.

Maybe at some point in the future mining roundabouts will be a big business.

Plat"i*num (?), n. [NL., fr. Sp. platina, from plata silver, LL. plata a thin plate of metal. See Plate, and cf. Platina.] Chem.

A metallic element, intermediate in value between silver and gold, occurring native or alloyed with other metals, also as the platinum arsenide (sperrylite). It is heavy tin-white metal which is ductile and malleable, but very infusible, and characterized by its resistance to strong chemical reagents. It is used for crucibles, for stills for sulphuric acid, rarely for coin, and in the form of foil and wire for many purposes. Specific gravity 21.5. Atomic weight 194.3. Symbol Pt. Formerly called platina.

Platinum black Chem., a soft, dull black powder, consisting of finely divided metallic platinum obtained by reduction and precipitation from its solutions. It absorbs oxygen to a high degree, and is employed as an oxidizer. -- Platinum lamp Elec., a kind of incandescent lamp of which the luminous medium is platinum. See under Incandescent. -- Platinum metals Chem., the group of metallic elements which in their chemical and physical properties resemble platinum. These consist of the light platinum group, viz., rhodium, ruthenium, and palladium, whose specific gravities are about 12; and the heavy platinum group, viz., osmium, iridium, and platinum, whose specific gravities are over 21. -- Platinum sponge Chem., metallic platinum in a gray, porous, spongy form, obtained by reducing the double chloride of platinum and ammonium. It absorbs oxygen, hydrogen, and certain other gases, to a high degree, and is employed as an agent in oxidizing.

 

© Webster 1913.

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