Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au

Facts About Gold

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and atomic number 79, making it one of the most abundant elements in nature. It is a bright orange-yellow color, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile. It is also a transition metal in the group of elements known as platinum. It is used to make jewelry, coins, and watches. Here are some facts about gold. You can also learn more about its history and current uses.

gold

Gold is a soft element, making it the easiest to mine. It can be hammered into very thin sheets, and is very malleable. Because of this, it is commonly used in the decorative arts. It is also an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. It forms compounds by giving up a single valence electron. This is comparable to hydrogen bonding. In addition, gold can react with many other elements, forming a variety of alloys.

Gold is extremely rare, with a content of only 0.005 parts per million in the Earth’s crust. Most gold in nature is chemically pure and is derived from other elements. It occurs in quartz veins or placer deposits and can be as little as 50 femtomol/L. Hence, it is relatively easy to mine if you know how to find it. But even if you do find some, it’s unlikely that you will be able to extract it economically.

Gold is widely distributed in nature. It is found in a background concentration of 0.03 g/kg or ppm by weight. It is relatively hard to extract, and is thus most often used for decoration. Usually, athletes and other competitors receive gold medals as a reward for winning a graded competition. In addition to this, many award statues are made of gold and depict great achievements in various fields. Examples include the Oscar statue, Golden Globes, Emmy Awards, and British Academy Film Awards.

Gold is the most malleable and ductile metal. An ounce of gold can be beaten into a five-meter sheet. This is called gold leaf and is mainly used in arts and crafts as gilding. A sheet of gold leaf can be 0.000127 millimeters thick. This makes it an extremely flexible material that can be easily shaped into a wide range of shapes and sizes. It is also highly resistant to abrasion, which can cause skin irritation or allergic reaction.

The monetary value of gold depends on its purity and quantity. It is considered to be one of the most precious metals in the world, and it has an attractive yellow color. Moreover, it is the rarest metal in the world, and it is very durable. Its beauty and resistance to tarnishing make it the perfect choice for jewelry. But before buying gold, remember that it is a valuable commodity. It should be treated with care, as it can be harmful to the environment.