Reynolds Metals

What is a chemical test to distinquish between a peice of Aluminium and Platinum?

Can someone please describe a simple chemical test i can perform to distinguish between a small peice of aluminium and a small peice of platinum? Would an acid test be appropriate? Any help much appreciated thanks!!

Public Comments

1. Sure. Put a drop of Sulphuric Acid on both metals. The Al will react but the Pt will not.
2. Try to react the metal with zinc nitrate. Aluminum would displace zinc in that reaction, but platinum would not. Thus, if there is a chemical reaction, it is aluminum. If there is no chemical reaction, it is platinum.