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AU Element Information

AU Element
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 The chemical element gold is classed as a transition metal. It has been known since ancient times. Its discoverer and discovery date are unknown.
Discovered Gold
Humans have known gold and treasured it since prehistoric times.
Who discovered gold? We do not know, it was discovered before there were written records. We know there is a good chance the discoverer found it in a river bed.
Gold is usually associated with rocks such as quartz and pyrites. As these rocks undergo weathering or erosion by water, the gold can be washed into rivers allowing people to find it easily.
Currently we can trace our use of gold back to at least 6200 years ago. A variety of objects made of gold have been found in Bulgaria from 4500-4000 BC. (1) (see image).
Gold artifacts dated to 5000 years ago have been found in Egyptian tombs; gold was already being beaten into sheets, foil and wire in Egypt at this time. (2) The Egyptian word for gold was ‘nub’ and is related to Nubia, the land south of Egypt where much of Egypt’s gold was obtained.
Gold in the native state (i.e. found naturally) is usually mixed with other metals, such as silver. Its purity can be increased by depletion guilding or refining – a significant step forward in technology. (3)
Gold of 98% purity has been found in Nahal Qunah in the ancient kingdom of Israel, dating from about 6000 years ago. (4), (5)
Analyses of gold from ancient Egypt indicates refining began there about 2500 years ago. (6)
The legendary wealth of King Croesus of Lydia (now in modern Turkey) came from refining gold found in several local rivers. (7), (8)
Gold Facts
  1. Gold is the only metal that is yellow or "golden." Other metals may develop a yellowish color, but only after they have oxidized or reacted with other chemicals.
  2. Nearly all the gold on Earth came from meteorites that bombarded the planet over 200 million years after it formed.
  3. The element symbol for gold—Au—comes from the old Latin name for gold, aurum, which means "shining dawn" or "glow of sunrise." The word gold comes from the Germanic languages, originating from the Proto-Germanic gulþ and Proto-Indo-European ghel, meaning "yellow/green." The pure element has been known since ancient times.
  4. Gold is extremely ductile. A single ounce of gold (about 28 grams) can be stretched into a gold thread 5 miles (8 kilometers) long. Gold threads can even be used in embroidery.
  5. Malleability is a measure of how easily a material can be hammered into thin sheets. Gold is the most malleable element. A single ounce of gold can be beaten into a 300-square-foot sheet. A sheet of gold can be made thin enough to be transparent. Very thin sheets of gold may appear greenish blue because gold strongly reflects red and yellow.
    6.
  6. Although gold is a heavy, dense metal, it is generally considered nontoxic. Gold metal flakes may be eaten in foods or drinks, although it is a common allergen for some.1
  7. Pure elemental gold is 24 karats, while 18-karat gold is 75 percent pure gold, 14-karat gold is 58.5 percent pure gold, and 10-karat gold is 41.7 percent pure gold. The remaining portion of the metal usually used in gold jewelry and other items is silver, but items can also consist of other metals or a combination of metals, such as platinum, copper, palladium, zinc, nickel, iron, and cadmium.


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