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ALL POSTSLets talk about materials that benders could never hope to bend thanks to the fact that platinum has been mentioned once again.
<p>I really hate that platinum was the material chosen that no master earthbender could even bend, I really wish that it would have been titanium. Lumber seems to be another material that no bender could bend, while the living plant could be bended thanks to the water in its system the dead plant could not after it has dried. I'm thinking that if plastics ever become available no bender should be able to bend them thanks to their artificial nature.
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(Edited by Jey8000)
<div class="quote"><i>
<p>FTWinchester wrote:
So if Korra, even in the avatar state, could not bend platinum, then explain how she broke free from her shackles. Through her sheer strength? Because she literally broke the last three chains she was bound to, without any visible bending.
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<p>Yes. The Avatar State supercharges the user's chi, which is related to physical strength. </p>
<p>Yes. The Avatar State supercharges the user's chi, which is related to physical strength. </p>
(Edited by Neo Bahamut)
<p>I still don't quite understand what you all mean by "platinum is a pure metal". Then waterbenders shouldn't be able to bend pure water and mudbending should be a lot easier. A pure metal just means that it doesn't have any other components, so every material can have a pure state. In fact, nothing is totally pure. There will be always a small amount of particles from other substances. I think you want to say that platinum is a noble metal, a metal quite resistant to corrosion. Titanium is also very resistant despite being not a noble metal, steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, therefore not pure. It's not mentioned if there are other metals which can't be bent. I think you are mixing the two definitions.
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(Edited by -Darjeeling-)
<p>Back in The Last Airbender, metal bending was justified as bending the impurities in the metal, that is, the small remnants of Earth that are left in the metal. Platnium as it is portrayed in the series is simply a metal that has very few, if any, Earthen impurities that an Eathbender could manipulate.
</p><p>I believe that the idea is that metal can not be bent, but the Earth within it can, similar to how a plant can not be bent, but the water within it can.
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(Edited by FoggyMoor)
<div class="quote"><i>Then waterbenders shouldn't be able to bend pure water and mudbending should be a lot easier.</i></div>
<p>Negative. Just because it works a certain way for earthbenders, that doesn't mean that it works the same way for other types of Benders. Obvious examples include Firebenders' ability to generate flames without a conventional fuel source & the fact that Waterbenders can only bend water or aqueous solutions while Earthbenders can bend a wide range of minerals. </p><p>As for the rest, what FoggyMoor said: The canonical, stated rule is that platinum can't be Bent because it's "too pure," & metalbending requires "Bending earthen impurities in the metal." We don't know what that's supposed to mean either, that's what we're trying to figure out. </p>
<p>Negative. Just because it works a certain way for earthbenders, that doesn't mean that it works the same way for other types of Benders. Obvious examples include Firebenders' ability to generate flames without a conventional fuel source & the fact that Waterbenders can only bend water or aqueous solutions while Earthbenders can bend a wide range of minerals. </p><p>As for the rest, what FoggyMoor said: The canonical, stated rule is that platinum can't be Bent because it's "too pure," & metalbending requires "Bending earthen impurities in the metal." We don't know what that's supposed to mean either, that's what we're trying to figure out. </p>
(Edited by Neo Bahamut)
<div class="quote"><i>Korbl wrote:
I also wish that platinum hadn't been chosen to be the "unbendable metal." But then, I think the need to explain metalbending as "bending the earth impurities in the metal" is dumb. Metals are minerals, and "earth" is a cosmopolitan mix of minerals ranging from silica to carbon. There is literally no reason that an earthbending couldn't just be "mineralbending"</i></div>
<p>I do think earthbenders are "just mineralbending" (how else could they bend the crystals in the Catacombs?). But they can't bend metals because it's such a different state of being solid than rock and crystal. Metals are a malleable collection of positive ions, held together by valence electrons that freely move between the atoms. All other solid matter, however, is a firm structure of molecules, with the valence electrons locked into stable orbits. This is why metals bend, while rocks break, and why metals conduct heat and electricity so well. You could say that metal is different from non-metallic solids in the same way as plasma differs from non-ionized gases (and these last two are recognized as 2 different phases of matter!). </p>
I also wish that platinum hadn't been chosen to be the "unbendable metal." But then, I think the need to explain metalbending as "bending the earth impurities in the metal" is dumb. Metals are minerals, and "earth" is a cosmopolitan mix of minerals ranging from silica to carbon. There is literally no reason that an earthbending couldn't just be "mineralbending"</i></div>
<p>I do think earthbenders are "just mineralbending" (how else could they bend the crystals in the Catacombs?). But they can't bend metals because it's such a different state of being solid than rock and crystal. Metals are a malleable collection of positive ions, held together by valence electrons that freely move between the atoms. All other solid matter, however, is a firm structure of molecules, with the valence electrons locked into stable orbits. This is why metals bend, while rocks break, and why metals conduct heat and electricity so well. You could say that metal is different from non-metallic solids in the same way as plasma differs from non-ionized gases (and these last two are recognized as 2 different phases of matter!). </p>
(Edited by Supermensch)
<p>im sure soemone can bend platinum its still earth, maybye toph developes it next season?
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(Edited by Thebridge14)
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<div class="quote"><i>
<p>FTWinchester wrote:
So if Korra, even in the avatar state, could not bend platinum, then explain how she broke free from her shackles. Through her sheer strength? Because she literally broke the last three chains she was bound to, without any visible bending.
</p>
</i></div>
<p>Well if you see that scene once again it looked as thought the chains are breaking from her pulling while the rock that are holding the chains she bended those. Yet I don't know if we've seen examples of the Avatar State giving super strength, however I wouldn't put it pass it if it did so. </p>
<p>Well if you see that scene once again it looked as thought the chains are breaking from her pulling while the rock that are holding the chains she bended those. Yet I don't know if we've seen examples of the Avatar State giving super strength, however I wouldn't put it pass it if it did so. </p>
(Edited by Jey8000)
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<div class="quote"><i>
<p>Supermensch wrote:
</p>
<div class="quote">Korbl wrote:
I also wish that platinum hadn't been chosen to be the "unbendable metal." But then, I think the need to explain metalbending as "bending the earth impurities in the metal" is dumb. Metals are minerals, and "earth" is a cosmopolitan mix of minerals ranging from silica to carbon. There is literally no reason that an earthbending couldn't just be "mineralbending"</i></div>
<p>I do think earthbenders are "just mineralbending" (how else could they bend the crystals in the Catacombs?). But they can't bend metals because it's such a different state of being solid than rock and crystal. Metals are a malleable collection of positive ions, held together by valence electrons that freely move between the atoms. All other solid matter, however, is a firm structure of molecules, with the valence electrons locked into stable orbits. This is why metals bend, while rocks break, and why metals conduct heat and electricity so well. You could say that metal is different from non-metallic solids in the same way as plasma differs from non-ionized gases (and these last two are recognized as 2 different phases of matter!). </p> </div> <p>See this is the thing when you get too scientific with fiction since its fallible. I don't think their going to take into account the molecular bonds between metals and non-metals and those between metals. However my argument against platinum is just on its malleability not on its corrosion or anything else, also titanium is more abundant on our Earth. While Platinum must be pretty easy to find in order to have been made into the Mecha-tank's armor and those handcuff, even if you're rich platinum is pretty expensive in the real world; today's price (2014/08/26) is $1428.00 USD/Oz (Source: platinum.matthey.com) and apparently today's price for "ferro titanium" is $6.00 USD/kg (Source: infomine.com). </p>
I also wish that platinum hadn't been chosen to be the "unbendable metal." But then, I think the need to explain metalbending as "bending the earth impurities in the metal" is dumb. Metals are minerals, and "earth" is a cosmopolitan mix of minerals ranging from silica to carbon. There is literally no reason that an earthbending couldn't just be "mineralbending"</i></div>
<p>I do think earthbenders are "just mineralbending" (how else could they bend the crystals in the Catacombs?). But they can't bend metals because it's such a different state of being solid than rock and crystal. Metals are a malleable collection of positive ions, held together by valence electrons that freely move between the atoms. All other solid matter, however, is a firm structure of molecules, with the valence electrons locked into stable orbits. This is why metals bend, while rocks break, and why metals conduct heat and electricity so well. You could say that metal is different from non-metallic solids in the same way as plasma differs from non-ionized gases (and these last two are recognized as 2 different phases of matter!). </p> </div> <p>See this is the thing when you get too scientific with fiction since its fallible. I don't think their going to take into account the molecular bonds between metals and non-metals and those between metals. However my argument against platinum is just on its malleability not on its corrosion or anything else, also titanium is more abundant on our Earth. While Platinum must be pretty easy to find in order to have been made into the Mecha-tank's armor and those handcuff, even if you're rich platinum is pretty expensive in the real world; today's price (2014/08/26) is $1428.00 USD/Oz (Source: platinum.matthey.com) and apparently today's price for "ferro titanium" is $6.00 USD/kg (Source: infomine.com). </p>
(Edited by Jey8000)
<div class="quote"><i>Jey8000 wrote:
<div class="quote"> <p>Supermensch wrote:
I do think earthbenders are "just mineralbending" (how else could they bend the crystals in the Catacombs?). But they can't bend metals because it's such a different state of being solid than rock and crystal. Metals are a malleable collection of positive ions, held together by valence electrons that freely move between the atoms. All other solid matter, however, is a firm structure of molecules, with the valence electrons locked into stable orbits. This is why metals bend, while rocks break, and why metals conduct heat and electricity so well. You could say that metal is different from non-metallic solids in the same way as plasma differs from non-ionized gases (and these last two are recognized as 2 different phases of matter!). </p> </i></div>
See this is the thing when you get too scientific with fiction since its fallible. I don't think their going to take into account the molecular bonds between metals and non-metals and those between metals. However my argument against platinum is just on its malleability not on its corrosion or anything else, also titanium is more abundant on our Earth. While Platinum must be pretty easy to find in order to have been made into the Mecha-tank's armor and those handcuff, even if you're rich platinum is pretty expensive in the real world; today's price (2014/08/26) is $1428.00 USD/Oz (Source: platinum.matthey.com) and apparently today's price for "ferro titanium" is $6.00 USD/kg (Source: infomine.com). </div> <p>But those molecular bonds are what determines the physical characteristics of the substance! I've seen people say that metal is just "more refined earth". Well, I'm countering that by pointing out that the physical properties are notably different, and that these differences exist because of the <i>fundamental</i> difference in the way these substances take on a "solid" form. </p><p>As for the platinum business, has it ever been confirmed in the series that they're talking about a specific kind of metal as opposed to that they're just using the name "platinum" as their term for "perfectly refined metal"? </p>
<div class="quote"> <p>Supermensch wrote:
I do think earthbenders are "just mineralbending" (how else could they bend the crystals in the Catacombs?). But they can't bend metals because it's such a different state of being solid than rock and crystal. Metals are a malleable collection of positive ions, held together by valence electrons that freely move between the atoms. All other solid matter, however, is a firm structure of molecules, with the valence electrons locked into stable orbits. This is why metals bend, while rocks break, and why metals conduct heat and electricity so well. You could say that metal is different from non-metallic solids in the same way as plasma differs from non-ionized gases (and these last two are recognized as 2 different phases of matter!). </p> </i></div>
See this is the thing when you get too scientific with fiction since its fallible. I don't think their going to take into account the molecular bonds between metals and non-metals and those between metals. However my argument against platinum is just on its malleability not on its corrosion or anything else, also titanium is more abundant on our Earth. While Platinum must be pretty easy to find in order to have been made into the Mecha-tank's armor and those handcuff, even if you're rich platinum is pretty expensive in the real world; today's price (2014/08/26) is $1428.00 USD/Oz (Source: platinum.matthey.com) and apparently today's price for "ferro titanium" is $6.00 USD/kg (Source: infomine.com). </div> <p>But those molecular bonds are what determines the physical characteristics of the substance! I've seen people say that metal is just "more refined earth". Well, I'm countering that by pointing out that the physical properties are notably different, and that these differences exist because of the <i>fundamental</i> difference in the way these substances take on a "solid" form. </p><p>As for the platinum business, has it ever been confirmed in the series that they're talking about a specific kind of metal as opposed to that they're just using the name "platinum" as their term for "perfectly refined metal"? </p>
(Edited by Supermensch)
<p>I like your point on "perhaps platinum is just a name" and it would likely explain a lot, but I think that if the series uses "platinum," we have to assume that it refers to what we know as "platinum" unless otherwise specified. Besides, if they were going to use a name for something it's not, why not just make up a name for the new unbendable metal?
</p>
(Edited by FoggyMoor)