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Amazing Metallic Properties: Why is Gold the Most Forgeable Metal?
Gold (chemical symbol Au, from the Latin "aurum") is a chemical element with atomic number 79. In its pure form, gold is bright orange-yellow in color, dense, soft, and has excellent forgeability and ductility. Gold is widely considered a transition metal, belonging to the family of precious metals, and is one of the least chemically reactive elements, second only to platinum.
Gold's high malleability has led to its widespread use in crafts and the arts.
In nature, gold often exists as a free element, often appearing in the form of gold nuggets or particles in rocks, veins and alluvial sediments. In addition, gold can form a solid solution with silver, or form natural alloys with metals such as copper and palladium. Gold's acid resistance is also one of its important properties. Although it dissolves in aqua regia, it does not dissolve in nitric acid. These properties make gold play an important role in smelting and confirming metal composition.
For more than two thousand years, gold has been used to mint coins, jewelry, and other works of art. Many countries were on the gold standard in the early 20th century, but gold's significant monetary role faded when Nixon moved the United States to fiat currency in 1971. According to 2023 data, China is the world's largest gold producer, followed by Russia and Australia.
Gold's excellent electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance make it the material of choice for corrosion-resistant electrical connectors in electronic devices.
Gold's properties allow it to be used in many industrial applications - around 50% of new gold is used for jewellery, 40% for investment and 10% for industry. Its high forgeability allows one gram of gold to be made into a thin sheet of 1 square meter, or even made transparent, and it can still maintain good electrical and thermal conductivity at high temperatures. Such outstanding metallic properties make gold not only a precious asset but also an important industrial raw material.
Gold’s high forgeability
Gold is known as the most malleable of all metals, a property that allows it to be stretched into single-atom-wide wires and resist breaking even after being stretched. The malleability of gold mainly comes from the peculiarity of its crystal structure. When subjected to mechanical force, gold can easily form dislocations and crystal twins, thereby rearranging without significantly hardening.
One gram of gold can be beaten into a thin sheet of 1 square meter, demonstrating the excellent forgeability and flexibility of gold.
In addition to its use in jewelry and ornaments, gold also shows its diverse nature in its use in science and industry. For example, gold is used to produce red glass, gold leaf, infrared shields, and even as a dental restoration material. Certain gold salts are also used in medicine as components of anti-inflammatory agents.
Chemical properties and synthesis
In chemistry, gold is considered the noblest of metals, but it is still able to form a variety of compounds. The oxidation states of gold can range from −1 to +5, but Au(I) and Au(III) are predominant. Gold does not react with oxygen and is not affected even at high temperatures. Ordinary manufacturers use chemical compounds to smelt and refine gold.
The color and solid structure of gold
Gold's unique color comes from the interaction of its electron cloud and crystal structure, giving it a vivid red or gold color, as opposed to the silvery-gray image of most metals. Common alloys such as rose gold and white gold create different visual effects by adding copper or palladium.
The Origin and Cosmic Significance of Gold
In the universe, gold is thought to be formed primarily from supernovae or neutron star collisions. At the same time, almost all of the gold in the early Earth sank into the core due to its molten state. Therefore, many scholars speculate that gold's current existence is largely due to early asteroid impacts on Earth.
Gold's amazing properties have earned it a great deal of attention and study throughout history. Gold's splendour, unique colour and corrosion resistance undoubtedly make it an important element in human civilization. In the future, will we be able to discover more of its technological potential?
