Interesting Facts About Gold: Must-Knows
by Francis Alukkas | 25 April 2022 | GOLD JEWELLERYGold is one of the most useful minerals on earth. It is the only true yellow metal on earth. Every culture around the world has used gold to symbolize power, beauty, purity, accomplishments, etc.
In India, buying gold is seen as an investment opportunity. If you take a record of the global gold price history, you can see a steady rise (with an exception of a few lows between some years). This lends credibility to the argument that gold is a safe investment over long periods of time.
There are so many industrial uses of gold. Below are some interesting facts about gold. Let us also look into some of the common uses of gold.
Interesting Facts About Gold
1. There is no other metal that is truly yellow in color. All other metals develop a yellowish color only due to oxidation.
2. The element symbol for gold is Au. It comes from the term aurum which is the Latin name for gold. The name means "shining dawn" or "glow of sunrise”.
3. Gold is very ductile and can be drawn to extremely thin wires that can even be used in embroidery.
4. It is one of the most malleable metals on earth. It can be hammered and made thin enough to be transparent. For this reason, gold can be used by jewelers only as an alloy.
5. Gold flakes are used in food and drinks. They are, however, also a common allergen for some people.
6. Gold is a noble metal. It is relatively unreactive to external conditions.
7. Pure gold is also odorless and tasteless.
Uses of Gold
Jewelry
Humans have been using gold to make jewelry for over a thousand years. About 78% of the gold mined each year is used in making jewelry. There are many reasons why we prefer gold in jewelry. It is not commonly available which makes it valuable. Other properties include high luster, desirable yellow color, resistance to tarnish, ductility, and malleability – which makes it easy to craft beautifully designed ornaments.
Check out our collection and buy gold jewelry online at Francis Alukkas
But being too malleable and ductile, gold cannot be used in its purest form to make ornaments. It is mixed with other metals like silver, copper, and zinc to create alloys. Pure gold is 24K. The yellow gold we usually see around us is 22K which means that it is 22 parts gold in the alloy. We use gold with at least 10K purity for ornamental purposes. High karat jewelry is softer and more resistant to tarnish compared to low karat gold. Alloying gold with different metals changes the color of the finished products. This is how we get white gold and rose gold ornaments.
Investment
Gold was once used as a medium of exchange or money. Today, even though we do not use them for financial transactions, gold coins, biscuits, and bars are issued in standardized weights and purity for people who buy gold for investment purposes. Gold coins are also used to be given out as commemorative items for people who love to collect them. We have a number of gold coins and bisects in various weights and designs that you can choose from. Also, Read: A Complete Guide to Buying Gold Coins
Electronic Devices
One of the most industrial uses of gold is in manufacturing electronics. Gold is a highly efficient conductor and resistant to corrosion. It is an apt choice in connectors and other electronics that use low voltages and currents that can easily be interrupted by tarnish and corrosion at contact points.Gold is also used in the edge connectors of laptops and computers because of its high conductivity. They are usually alloyed with nickel and cobalt to increase durability.
Dentistry
Gold is used in dentistry because of its strength and aesthetic appeal. Alloys of gold are commonly used in fillings, crowns, and bridges because it is chemically inert.
Medical Uses of Gold
Gold is sometimes used as a drug to treat medical conditions. Particles of the radioactive gold isotope are implanted in tissues as a radiation source in the treatment of cancer. Radioactive gold is also used in diagnosis. Since it is nonreactive, gold is used in making surgical instruments, electronic equipment, and life-supporting devices.
Aerospace
Gold is used in many ways in space vehicles. It is used in circuitry because it is a dependable connector and conductor. Space vehicles are fitted with gold-coated polyester films so as to reflect IR radiation and help stabilize the temperature of the aircraft.
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