Gold
Gold's properties:
- Chemical element (can only be found not made)
- It is basically immune to tarnish and decay
- Has excellent conductivity
- Is very soft and dense
What is an atomic number? It is the number of protons that are found in the nucleus of an atom. This is what determines the elements chemical properties and where it should be places on the periodic table. Gold's atomic number is 79
What is atomic mass? Atomic mass is the mass of the atom expressed using atomic mass units. This is approximately equivalent to the number of protons and neutrons in the atom. Gold's average atomic mass is ~196.96655 amu
Objects containing gold:
- Jewelry:
- The main use of gold
- Gold is alloyed with other metals such as copper, silver or platinum to make the jewelry because pure gold is too soft to be used on its own
- Dentistry:
- Used as fillings, crowns, bridges and orthodontic appliances
- Is the preferred metal used for dentistry because of its aesthetic appeal
- Medical uses:
- Particles of radioactive gold isotopes are implanted in tissues as a radiation source to treat certain types of cancer
- Many surgical instruments, electronic equipment, and life-support devices contain small amounts of gold
- Electronics:
- Mainly used in small devices such as: cell phones, calculators, and in GPS
- Used as a conductor (a material that can carry an electrical current) in many electrical devices, because it does not get interrupted by corrosion or tarnish
Fun facts about gold:
- Gold is so pliable that one ounce of gold can be stretched over 50 miles
- Some alcoholic beverages contain metallic gold
- India is the world's largest consumer of gold
(Watch from 0:49-3:57) This video gives a brief description of the properties of gold and some examples of reactions that occur between gold and other elements.
Bibliography:
N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://edu.glogster.com/glog.php?glog_id=14657137>.
Uses of Gold in Industry. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://geology.com/minerals/gold/uses-of-gold.shtml>.
"Dartmouth Medicine Magazine :: On the Other Hand..." Dartmouth Medicine Magazine :: On the Other Hand... N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://dartmed.dartmouth.edu/winter08/html/other_hand.php>.
"Atomic Number and Mass Number." Atomic Number and Mass Number. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/HighSchool/Radiography/atomicmassnumber.htm>.