Gold is denser than steel.
Gold easily tops these numbers with a density of 19.3 g/cm3. However, this does not make it the heaviest element, and not even the heaviest precious metal, an honour which goes to platinum with a density of 21.45 g/cm³. The elements osmium, iridium, rhenium, neptunium and plutonium are also heavier than gold.
Stainless steel is about 4 times lighter than gold, virtually scratch-resistant, and typically cheaper than gold watches. Its shiny, silver tone is versatile and beautiful.
Different materials have different densities. For example, the mass density of gold is 19.3 g/cc, lead is 11.4 g/cc, copper is 9.0 g/cc, aluminum is 2.7 g/cc, water is 1.0 g/cc (1g/cc = 1 gram per cubic centimeter). If we want the density in English units we could use 11.1 oz/cubic inch as the density of gold.
The only metal that has the almost exact same density as gold is tungsten with a density of 19.300 g/cm3. Tungsten also has a melting point similar to that of gold. However, tungsten is also very rare and therefore quite expensive, albeit cheaper than gold.
What to do: Hold the magnet up to the gold. If it's real gold it will not stick to the magnet. (Fun fact: Real gold is not magnetic.) Fake gold, on the other hand, will stick to the magnet.
Platinum is approx 88% heavier than 9ct Gold.
Gold is called a heavy metal because of its high density, which comes from the fact that each of its atoms is individually very heavy.
Pure gold is heavy due to its high density – 19.32 g/ ml. If your gold item floats or hovers above the cup's bottom – it's fake or plated gold. Its density is lower: 14K – 12.9 to 14.6 g/ml, 18K – 15.2 to 15.9 g/ml, and 22K – 17.7 to 17.8 g/ml.
Real gold is a dense metal heavier than most other metals of the same size. This means that gold jewelry will typically feel heavier in hand than a piece made from a lighter metal such as silver or titanium.
RHODIUM: TOP MOST VALUABLE METAL
Rhodium is the most valuable metal and exists within the platinum group of metals. It is used in jewelry for a final finish on white gold jewelry. It occurs in the very same ore in which gold and silver exist – only, in smaller quantities.
The addition of chromium makes the metal more resistant to rust and corrosion, while the nickel gives it a hard surface that resists scratching. The result is a beautiful metal that looks like real gold but offers much greater durability.
Look for Stamps or Hallmarks in Your Gold Jewelry
Most real gold is stamped with a hallmark that indicates its purity, aka its karat. The karat is the unit used to measure the purity of gold. The higher the karat, the purer the gold. The most common karats you'll see are 10k, 14k, 18k, 22K, and 24k.
The metal is heavier than reinforced concrete, and those holding gold coins or bars for the first time are often impressed, as though they are feeling the weight of wealth.
It is interesting to compare the density of gold to that of the other precious metals. Gold is renowned for its high density (19.32 at room temperature, almost double that of silver) but as the table shows, some of the neighbouring platinum group metals (PGMs) are significantly denser.
Fake gold pieces may have a heavier weight but also be too large for the weight to match the weight of real gold. Check the diameter and thickness of any gold coins you're considering buying. The specifications for collectible coins can be found in numismatic guides or online.
Step 4: Feel By Weight
Fake gold feels lighter than real gold and that is because gold is heavier than almost all other metals. This is not the most reliable test, but if the gold item feels practically weightless then that is one indication that the item is fake.
Gold is a relatively soft metal, and consequently gold coins that are made of pure gold or a high percentage of gold, can be relatively soft and malleable. Therefore, biting the coin would leave a mark or an indent if it was real gold.
Gold is heavier than diamonds but since we're working solely off of the weight the equation becomes a relatively simple one. What is gold's price per gram?
In their pure forms, gold and silver happen to be very soft metals—soft enough that you should be able to mark them with your teeth. According to the Mohs hardness scale—which relates pairs of materials according to which one will scratch the other first—gold scores a 2.5 and silver, which is harder, a 2.7.
Uranium is the heaviest naturally occurring element on Earth. It has three natural isotopes (238U, 235U, and 234U), of which 238U and 235U are the parent nuclides of the 238U- and 235U-decay series chains, which ultimately decay to stable isotopes of lead (Pb), thereby forming the basis of the U-Pb chronometer.
Gold is so heavy that one cubic foot of it weighs half a ton. All of the gold in the world could be compressed into an 18-yard cube that would weigh about 3,000 tons. A one-ounce gold nugget is more rare than a five-carat diamond.