The use of gold, what is hidden behind the precious facade? Since time immemorial, a beautiful, ageless metal the color of the sun has been considered the most desirable gift of our planet. Some scientists believe that it was gold that brought humanity from the Stone Age to the Iron Age, becoming the main material for the manufacture of attributes of power and might, and a little later, the main means of payment.
Gold was worshiped, gold was coveted, wars were started for gold, and sacrifices were made to gold. By and large, our entire evolution is closely connected with this ductile precious metal, which today plays the role of the main financial and economic potential of developed countries.
Industrial Applications
The exceptional malleability and plasticity of gold allowed it to be used in construction. A coin-sized ingot can be rolled into a sheet the size of a square meter. Gold foil, and subsequently gold electroplating, was used to cover the domes of temples. Gold has been used in the glass industry for three centuries.
Scientific and technological progress has significantly expanded the scope of gold. This is explained by its physicochemical characteristics. It is highly resistant to aggressive environments and resists corrosion. It has unique electrical conductivity, slightly inferior to copper and silver. The ability of gold to reflect infrared rays is close to one hundred percent; in alloys it has catalytic properties.
All this led to the use of gold in the following areas:
- space and aviation;
- transport;
- medicine;
- chemical industry;
- construction (glazing of buildings);
- electronics and communications;
- nanotechnology.
1) Cosmonautics and aviation.
To prevent parts of space and aircraft engines from corroding, gold alloys are used to solder contacts. Gold reliably protects against infrared radiation, which is why it is added to the light filters of spacesuit helmets.
Although astronautics cannot do without gold, it is used in small quantities. So, over 37 years, NASA needed 41 kilograms of gold to build rockets.
2) Transport.
A modern car is equipped with microcircuits that also contain gold. It began to be used in car security systems.
It is used in microcircuits that are responsible for the anti-lock brake system, in sensors that activate airbags during collisions and accidents. Nano-coatings containing gold are being used in exhaust systems to reduce emissions of harmful chemicals into the environment.
The gold content in one modern car is negligible, but in older cars it can range from 1 to 30 grams.
3) Electronics.
There is gold in mobile phones and other means of communication. Aurum is used in miniature switches. An alloy of gold with platinum group metals helps the phone withstand a huge number of switches without “sticking”, responding to every impulse.
One smartphone contains 0.024 grams of gold. From 40-50 phones you can extract as much gold as from one ton of ore. But this is theoretical. Reverse galvanization is a more expensive process than mining.
The use of gold nanoparticles has advantages in the production of displays. Gold helps solve the shortage of the metal indium, which is used to create touch screens for displays. According to scientists, there is catastrophically little indium on Earth; its reserves will last for 30 years.
Gold is used in measuring technology. It is necessary for temperature control. Alloys of gold with cobalt or chromium are mainly used. In the chemical industry, gold is mainly used for cladding steel pipes intended for transporting aggressive substances.
4) Energy.
Gold has found application in modern systems that accumulate solar energy. The precious metal is used in the glazing of buildings: the thinnest film of a colloidal building on the glass prevents heating of the air. Already today, many buildings in the USA and Japan are commissioned with gold-coated glass units. In Toronto, 70 kilograms of gold were used in the construction of a skyscraper with 14 thousand windows.
general information
Since gold became the main attribute of luxury and wealth, many people have tried to become its owners. But even in the distant past, this metal was considered very expensive, so only the wealthiest people could afford such a purchase. To reduce the cost of gold products and make them available to a wider group of society, medieval alchemists carried out all sorts of experiments and research.
Through many years of work, they managed to transform one element into another, but this does not mean that anyone can easily turn an aluminum spoon into gold. What is gold made from, and is it really possible to implement such an idea? Such an interesting topic has always caused a lot of disagreement and speculation among enthusiasts.
The history of the precious material dates back to ancient times. Translated from Latin, aurum (Au) means “yellow.” Many centuries ago, craftsmen who produced jewelry were amazed at the unique physical and chemical properties of such raw materials. This is about:
- High softness and ductility.
- Relatively low values of chemical activity.
- Availability in the natural environment.
Few people know that in its pure form, gold is a rather soft material that can be processed without any specific equipment. Initially, gold products were created using the forging method, which made it possible to make very thin sheets, a fraction of a millimeter in diameter. At the same time, the melting point remained very high - more than 1064 degrees Celsius. The element itself is characterized by high volatility and begins to evaporate long before boiling.
Most jewelry is made from various alloys rather than pure gold. Their composition may include the following elements :
- Copper.
- Silver.
- Platinum.
At the same time, pure gold has found application in technology, since radio components, microcircuits and other products are created on its basis.
But the percentage of industrial use of the metal is only 10% of the total. The rest belongs to state gold and foreign exchange funds, private owners and jewelry companies.
Gold in medicine
Everyone knows that gold is widely used in dentistry, but aurum is also necessary in other areas of medicine. It is used in prosthetics, in the manufacture of medical instruments, and modern hearing aids.
Gold in dentistry
The use of gold in medicines is indicated for rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus and some other diseases. Colloidal gold was used in the treatment of certain oncological diseases 70 years ago.
Nanotechnology has increased the range of uses of gold in medicine. Drugs are being developed in which gold nanoparticles help to precisely transport the delivery of drugs to the diseased organ.
Combination of gold and silver
Combining gold and silver is possible in two versions. They can be combined in one product or in different ones. However, the compatibility rules will differ.
For some reason, many people believe that wearing silver and gold is an indicator of bad taste. However, the point is not compatibility, but the inability to correctly select jewelry of different materials. Some wear purely gold, because of its high cost, unlike silver. Thus, they show their status and level of wealth.
You can combine gold and silver in different products
Disagreement on the issue of combining gold and silver confuses citizens ignorant of fashion trends. Many jewelers are convinced that it is possible to combine these two metals in one product. This adds some zest to the design of the jewelry. Some stylists allow the simultaneous wearing of gold and silver items. For example, a massive gold chain in tandem with a thin silver one will look quite harmonious. You can’t do the opposite: wear a large white chain and a thin gold one. The only exception can be if two items are made of the same material in different colors: white and yellow gold. It is also impossible to combine rings made of aurum and argentum on one hand.
What to do with those jewelry that you wear almost without taking it off, for example, a wedding ring and a cross? How, then, to select a pair for them? If there is a thin gold chain around your neck, then it can be complemented with an elegant silver bracelet. Women of Balzac's age can wear bracelets made of different metals at the same time, as long as they are in the same style.
Surely everyone knows that silver and gold are polar different materials, with energy fields different from each other. Therefore, each of the metals has its own effect. Silver calms, improves sleep, fights depression, gold, on the contrary, invigorates and fills with energy, encouraging active action.
According to one of the laws of esotericism, two opposite fields cannot be balanced at one point. This will cause imbalance and conflict of the elements. It is necessary that all processes in the body be under the power of either the Sun or the Moon.
If we put aside magical prejudices, then gold and silver can be considered
But, if you put aside magical prejudices and learn how to choose the right jewelry from different metals, you can achieve a rather beautiful look. However, it is important not to overdo it. Products of the same type, size, weave, etc. match each other.
Gold as a financial instrument
Gold is the most popular metal in which to invest. It is considered a reliable insurance against political and economic crises. Many countries around the world have their own gold reserves. The total volume of reserves of all countries is 30 thousand tons. Over time, the volume of reserves has decreased, so 50 years ago gold reserves in storage facilities reached 38 tons.
Gold reserves mean economic independence. Also, the gold reserve serves as an anti-crisis reserve and stabilization - adjusting the exchange rate of the national currency. The United States has the largest reserve: 75 percent of the world's reserve. But many experts believe (this opinion is shared by President Donald Trump) that the country does not have that much gold. This opinion is based on the fact that the audit of gold reserves was carried out in 1953.
The gold reserves of over 60 other countries around the world are partially or completely stored in the United States. Germany ranks second in terms of gold reserves. In third place is the International Monetary Fund.
Russia ranks seventh in the world in terms of gold reserves: there are 1,614.3 tons of gold in storage.
There is an opinion that if gold were not used as a means of investment, and the priority was its use in industry, then scientific and technological progress would move across the planet even faster. This is especially true in the field of space exploration.
Jewelry industry
The key consumer of the valuable yellow metal is the jewelry industry. Since ancient times, gold items have been popular, being the personal belongings of the legendary pharaohs, as well as decorating their tombs.
The presence of gold jewelry could have different meanings. First of all, they were given the property of protecting the owner from all kinds of diseases, witchcraft and any other problems. In the 21st century, precious metal emphasizes the high status of its owner and is also an excellent aesthetic addition.
Despite the development of civilization and technological progress, the yellow metal is also in great demand, and it is unlikely that anything will ever change. Modern jewelry is distinguished by a wide variety of designs and textures. Today, rings, chains, cufflinks, rings and even pegs for guitar necks are created using gold. Most craftsmen do not use pure gold for their work, but all kinds of alloys. This is due to the fact that in its pure form the metal is too ductile and does not have the necessary resistance to certain influences.
In order to achieve the desired physical or chemical properties during the production of raw materials, various additives are added to it. These include: palladium, zinc, nickel and cobalt. Depending on the proportions used, the sample of the final alloy is determined.
Pure gold is highly resistant to corrosion, and properties such as shade and mechanical resistance are due to the content of other raw materials. Depending on the selected ratio of metals, jewelry can have three main shades: yellow, white and red. Statistics say that almost 50% of the use of gold in the world belongs to the jewelry industry.
Rules for combining metals and stylistic solutions
The first rule for combining silver and gold jewelry is to select items according to age. Young girls tend to experiment with their appearance. For ladies 40-65 years old, trying to wear bright, flashy things that are incompatible in design and size can be a failure. In order not to look stupid and ridiculous, you need to take into account some rules:
- watches with rings from different styles do not match;
- a gold chain and a silver necklace will be lost in the image, and will also make it tasteless;
- the presence of gold and silver rings together on one hand looks stupid and ridiculous.
Modern fashion trends include styles such as fusion and eclecticism.
They involve mixing and destruction of traditions. It is important to respect the amount of jewelry. It is necessary to create a general style, and jewelry should only be an addition to the image. Is it possible to wear gold with silver and what should you consider when choosing:
- sizes of jewelry to be worn;
- the distance between them;
- composition;
- similarity in color scheme;
- alternating layers;
- color addition.
Gold is more suitable for people of autumn and spring types: peach or beige skin color, green eyes, light brown or brown hair. Silver is preferable for representatives of winter and summer types: porcelain or ivory skin, dark hair, closer to black or light.
