30+ Astonishing Facts
About Gold
- The Gold facts are as different cultures, different geographical areas have given multiple names to Gold. The name derives from the Sanskrit word “jval” for “shine”, the Teutonic word gulth for “shining metal”, and the Anglo-Saxon gold of unknown origin. The word gold comes from the Germanic languages, originating from the Proto-Germanic gulþ and Proto-Indo-European ghel, meaning “yellow/green.” Gold was known and highly valued in prehistoric times.
- Represented by Element Symbol “Au” and atomic number is 79, the word comes from the old Latin name for gold, aurum, for Aurora, the goddess of dawn.” Gold having density 19.282 grams per cubic centimeter, melting point is 1337.33 K (1064.18 °C or 1947.52 °F), Boiling Point 3129 K (2856 °C or 5173 °F).
- Gold is a noble metal and is relatively unreactive and resists degradation by air, moisture, or acidic conditions. High-purity metallic gold is odourless and tasteless since the metal is unreactive. The only metal that is yellow or “golden.” Metals may develop a yellowish colour, but only after they have oxidized or reacted with other chemicals.
- Being a noble metal, Gold is prone neither to rust nor tarnish and does not form an oxide film on its surface when in contact with air.
- Gold is shiny, soft and dense and is extremely malleable. Malleability is a measure of how easily a material can be beaten into thin sheets. Gold is the most malleable element. A single ounce of gold (about 31.103 grams) can be stretched into a gold thread up to 8 miles (11 kilometers) long and can also be beaten into a 300-square-foot sheet.
- Gold threads are used in embroidery. A single sheet of gold can be made thin enough to be transparent. Very thin sheets of gold may appear aqua blue or cobalt blue because gold strongly reflects red and yellow.
- Gold being a dense metal, is generally considered nontoxic. There are restaurants offering Gold metal flakes in ice-cream and may be eaten in foods or drinks, although it is a common allergen for some.
- Pure gold is 24 karats, whereas 18-karat gold is 75 per cent pure gold, 14-karat gold is 58.5 per cent pure, and 10-karat gold is 41.7 per cent pure gold. Most of the gold jewellery consists of several other items and combination of metals to give it a particular shape such as copper, zinc, nickel, palladium, and platinum. 750 parts per 1,000 – Gold is often alloyed with other metals to change its colour and strength. 18 karat gold is composed of 750 parts of pure gold per 1,000.
- Apart from financial and traditional values, Gold serves multiple other values and purposes such as medicinal value, used in engineering works – good conductor of heat (electrical wiring, electronic, machines) dentistry, traditional medicinal mixing of herbs and metals, radiation protectors etc.
- Throughout the history gold is always depicted as a status symbol of wealth and only the rich would possess this metal. Around 5,000 BC pieces of the evidence disclose that gold and copper were the very few and amongst the first metals to be discovered by humans.
- It is estimated that during 1500 AD, a total of 100,000 tons of gold had been mined. And a decade back, it was estimated a total of 160,000 tonnes of gold had been mined.
- Around 80-85% of the earth’s gold is still undiscovered and remains hidden underneath.
- Gold ranks 58th in its rarity amongst the other 92 naturally occurring elements found in the earth’s crust.
- The mineral “Pyrite” having a similar appearance to Gold is nicknamed fool’s gold.
- It is believed that alchemists have the capability of changing ordinary materials, like lead, into gold and it is also, believed that Gold can be found on Mars, Mercury, and Venus.
- Gold never breaks down or gets ruined, hence it is frequently melted down and recycled into new items.
- The Standard size of a Gold Bar is 7″ by 3 and 5/8″ by 1 and 3/4″.
- Gold in its complete purity can be moulded with bare hands.
- Helmets worn by astronauts (the visors – movable part of the helmet that can be lowered down to cover the face) are thinly coated with a transparent layer of gold (.000002 inches) in order to reduce heat and glare from sunlight.
- In 2010, World’s first Gold Vending Machine was unveiled. The vending machine itself is covered in 24- Carat Gold and is situated in the ultra-luxurious and ultra-spacious hotel in Abu Dhabi.
- It is asserted that a gold nugget (chunk) found on the earth can be three to four times as precious as gold because of its rareness.
- South-Africa has been the biggest producer of gold for the past 100 years. It is no surprise that “Two-thirds of the world’s Gold is mined from South Africa”.
- Until 1961, most of the western economies – currencies were on the Gold Standard.
- Switzerland was the only distinct country whose currency was tied to gold. 40% of the Swiss Franc was backed by gold until Switzerland joined the IMF in 1999.
- The asset value of gold the United States held at Fort Knox is at $44.22 per ounce.
- Until December 31, 1941, Fort Knox is believed to have held 649.6 million ounces of gold.
- At present day, Fort Knox holds about 147.3 million ounces of gold.
- Renowned American Singer; Elvis Presley owned three cars manufactured by Stutz Motor Company, in which every part that is normally chrome was converted to gold.
- The world’s most ultra-expensive Gold Coin “the 1933 Double Eagle”, was sold for an exorbitant price at $7.59 million at Sotheby’s in New York in 2002.
- Olympic Games had a tradition of presenting Pure Gold Medals until 1912.
- South Asian jewellery is considered traditionally purer compared to western jewellery, as they’re comprised of 22-carat gold in preference to 14 carats.
- Amongst all the nations in the world, India is the one that consumes the most gold in a given year.
- Gold is utilized in precise and formulated quantities for medical purposes. Highly delicate injections such as solutions of sodium aurothiomalate or aurothioglucose are on occasion being used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Injectable gold has been proven to help reduce pain and swelling in patients suffering from tuberculosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- For the treatment of cancer, elements of radioactive gold isotopes are implanted in the tissues to serve as a radiation source. These are the best Gold Facts furnished.