Why is gold the king of all metals?
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Gold has been highly valued since ancient times. It has been considered a symbol of wealth and luxury among all nations. One of the reasons for this is the high resistance of this precious metal to various types of external influences. Objects made of gold are not subject to corrosion and do not tarnish, they retain their unique shine for centuries.
The unique properties of gold have led to the widespread use of this metal in the jewelry industry. It is also used quite widely in manufacturing. Investment gold continues to be the most reliable investment option.
How chemically stable is gold?
Chemists classify gold as a group of metals called noble metals. They are characterized by high chemical inertness. In simple terms, they react poorly to the presence of various substances.
As a noble metal, gold has excellent chemical resistance. It does not dissolve even in such strong acids as nitric, hydrochloric or sulfuric.
Periodic table: noble metals are highlighted with a red frame.
However, gold cannot be called “invulnerable”. This chemical element can still be dissolved in a substance known as aqua regia. A rather caustic mixture: a 3:1 mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid.
Interesting fact: the above-mentioned substance got its name precisely because of its ability to dissolve gold, which was previously called the “king of all metals.” This fact was discovered by alchemists in the distant past, thousands of years after gold first began to be mined and used.
In the photo: the process of dissolving gold in aqua regia.
Modern colleagues of alchemists have discovered several new ways of dissolving the precious metal. It turned out that this can be done using concentrated selenic acid if it is heated. Gold is also absorbed by alkaline solutions of sodium and potassium cyanide.
However, none of the substances that can dissolve the precious metal are found in pure form in nature. And in general, gold is known as one of the most stable chemical elements. This is one of the reasons why it has always been, is and will continue to be in high demand.
Read also the article:
How and where were the oldest gold items found?
