What Is the Weight of Gold?
In the Periodic Table of Elements, gold is represented by the chemical symbol Au, Latin for aurum, meaning shining dawn. Known for its density, luster and indestructibility, gold has fascinated cultures throughout history.
Other People Are Reading
-
Atomic Weight of Gold
-
Gold is an element, and according to General Chemistry Online, "An element is a type of matter composed of atoms that all have exactly the same positive charge on their nuclei." What this means is that the same atomic number exists for every atom of the element. In the case of gold, that number is 79.
This number represents the amount of protons in the nucleus of the atom. Protons carry a positive electrical charge. Also in the nucleus are neutrons, 118. Neutrons carry neutral charges. Surrounding the nucleus are electrons, an amount equal to protons, 79. Electrons are negatively charged.
Gold's atomic weight is 196.966569, the result of combining the number of protons, and neutrons in the nucleus of gold, with a small amount of mass added by electrons. The term atomic weight has fallen into disfavor, and relative atomic mass is used. Atomic weight is a number derived from an average of gold's isotopes. Isotopes are the unstable elements of gold having the same properties of the element.
Familiar Weight
-
Gold is also measured in grains, pennyweight, grams, troy ounces and kilograms.
Conversion table for gold weight:
24 grains = 1 pennyweight = 1.5552 grams
1 gram = .64 pennyweight
1 pennyweight = 1.56 grams or .05 troy ounce
20 pennyweight = 1 troy ounce = 31.1035 grams
12 ounces = 1 pound troy = 373.24 grams
1 kilogram = 32.1507466 ounces = 1,000 grams -
Purity
-
Gold sold as anything other than 24 carat is an alloy. An alloy is a mixture of metals. Twenty-four carat is pure gold and is represented in fineness (purity) as the number 999.99. Pure gold is very difficult to obtain and always has impurities in it.
Gold is mixed with other metal to reduce purity as well as cost. Some metals that gold is alloyed with are silver, copper and platinum. Examples of gold's purity levels when alloyed with different metals are: 22 karat is 916.6 fine, 18 karat is 750 fine, 14 karat is 585 fine and 9 karat is 375 fine.
Artistic Works
-
Gold has been used throughout the centuries as an expression of cultural beliefs, symbols, adornment and just about everything else one can think of. The Egyptians crafted fine pieces such as statues, death masks, rings and a host of other fine art.
Countries around the world have minted gold coins that are just as artistic as a fine golden statue. The Florin and American Double Eagle are two of the many gold coins minted throughout history.
Price
-
The price of gold has fluctuated over the decades, sometimes wildly. In the early 1970s, gold was running under $50 a troy ounce. By the early 1980s, gold had skyrocketed to over $800. In the year 2000, gold dipped to under $300. Today, gold is hovering close to the $1,000 mark per troy ounce.
1 kilogram = 32.1507466 ounces = 1,000 grams = about $32,000.00 today.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit All photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
