Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: neilep on 01/05/2008 12:54:25

Title: What's the ' properties ' difference between polished and unpolished ?
Post by: neilep on 01/05/2008 12:54:25: Dearest Peeps From Warsaw and Polishers,

See this unpolished platinum ring ?

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It's dull, it's naked...it's awaiting a polishing !

Hopefully it will be as shiny as this

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Nice eh ?...

What exactly are the properties of the dullness which makes a metal non shiny ?...and what changes happens to the dullness to make it shine ?...is the shine beneath ?...or is the dullness transformed ?.....how does that happen ?

Give us a ring with ewer answere will ya ?..in the mean time I'm going to polish off a sandwich ! * le groan*

Hugs and shmishes

Neil
Polished Ring Enquirer

xxxxxxxxx
Title: What's the ' properties ' difference between polished and unpolished ?
Post by: JimBob on 02/05/2008 01:17:10: Ge Neil, as a seller of fine diamonds on the Amsterdam diamond exchange I thought you would know that. "Polish" is a state where all of the oxidation on the - in this case silver - is off and you see pure silver. As the silver oxidizes, the polish goes away. That is what silver polish is all about and why gold tarnishes less - it is less reactive to oxygen.
Title: What's the ' properties ' difference between polished and unpolished ?
Post by: neilep on 02/05/2008 01:50:16: Quote from: JimBob on 02/05/2008 01:17:10
Ge Neil, as a seller of fine diamonds on the Amsterdam diamond exchange I thought you would know that. "Polish" is a state where all of the oxidation on the - in this case silver - is off and you see pure silver. As the silver oxidizes, the polish goes away. That is what silver polish is all about and why gold tarnishes less - it is less reactive to oxygen.

I may sell them....but I don't mine and make the buggers...though, I did cast a ring once and laser fixed some perocity !!...which was nice !!(yes folks that's what I do....we make rings....don't thing I've ever mentioned it ! [::)])

Jimmy Boy.....does the explanation ewe supply apply to Platinum too ?....just at a differing degree ?!!

Gosh ......ewe is klevur....ewe know stuff !

THANK YOU
Title: What's the ' properties ' difference between polished and unpolished ?
Post by: JimBob on 02/05/2008 04:02:50: I are a genierus. I can alkso walk and chew gum at the same time.

It does apply to platinum as well.
Title: What's the ' properties ' difference between polished and unpolished ?
Post by: JimBob on 02/05/2008 04:06:37: No go to bed. It is 6 hours later over there than it is here and it is just shy of two hours away from midnight. That means it is 4 AM in the suburbs of the small town on the Thames where you live.
Title: What's the ' properties ' difference between polished and unpolished ?
Post by: rosalind dna on 02/05/2008 11:17:41: Hi, Jimbob, that is interesting but about the different properties between say an un-polished wooden chair, do you know?

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi26.tinypic.com%2F2d9egpz.jpg&hash=e491635cf0829292c77a798285ce6496)

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi32.tinypic.com%2F9scumc.jpg&hash=8bd6719f1e80bd7f6d38bc7bc7d9e6f9)

(BTW I have tried to crop these pictures sorry if it is mess)
Title: What's the ' properties ' difference between polished and unpolished ?
Post by: lyner on 02/05/2008 13:07:24: The difference between unpolished and polished Platinum is not oxidation. It's how smooth the surface is. For a very smooth surface, the light is reflected at the same angle for all places on the surface and forms a good image (specular reflection) You tend to see the reflected object rather than the surface. For a rough / matt / satin finish, the light is scattered randomly by the irregular surface and you don't see an image. (diffuse reflection).
Polishing wood will often involve filling the grain with wax or varnish to produce a flat layer over the surface of the wood.
Title: What's the ' properties ' difference between polished and unpolished ?
Post by: Carol-A on 03/05/2008 08:58:08: Thank you for that Sophiecentaur! I knew platinum didn't oxidise much, and neither does gold, but I do know my gold wedding ring is much less shiny than when I first wore it!
Title: What's the ' properties ' difference between polished and unpolished ?
Post by: lyner on 03/05/2008 10:08:22: Buff it up with a cloth; it will look much nicer- if it has am embossed pattern, go at it gently with a toothbrush and washing up liquid.
Title: What's the ' properties ' difference between polished and unpolished ?
Post by: JimBob on 03/05/2008 15:31:06: I made a bobo? Oh! the shame of it all -

I'll never live it down. That nasty rodent will hound me to death with his war dogs and gnaw my legs off himself. It is a no-win situation.)

DEATH TO RODENTS!