It is very dense. Another rather simple way to think of this is that if the density of water is 1 g/cc then the density of gold is 19.3 times greater than water. Water weighs about 8.3 pounds per gallon. Therefore gold weighs 19.3 times as much or (19.3 x 8.3 lb) about 160 pounds per gallon.
Gold has an atomic weight of 196.96657 u, though it's typically measured in troy ounces. (For reference, a troy ounce is 31.1 grams, or 0.07 pounds.) Compared to other metals, it's rather heavy. This is because of gold's high density of 19.32 grams per cubic centimetre.
The weight of Gold is brought about by its high density. Each atom of gold is very heavy on its own, making the element heavy too. Unlike other elements that are as heavy as tungsten, gold's atoms are not so bonded to each other making it less brittle and easily shifted and shaped when working on it.
GOLD FACTS
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. Gold is the heaviest metal known - six to seven times heavier than its nearest competitor.
The standard density of real gold is 19.3 grams per milliliter (also written 19.3g/mL). Not a lot of other metals come very close to it.
Gold is a very soft metal, so scratching it with a hard object like ceramic will leave a golden or a yellowish streak. On the other hand, fake gold is often made of metals that are darker in color, so you'll see a dark streak instead.
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. If that necklace leaps to the magnet, your significant other has some explaining to do.
Osmium is the most dense metal! Many people are familiar with lead (11.3 kg/L), but osmium is twice as dense (22.6 kg/L)! Each liter (about 1/4 gallon) of osmium weighs 22.6 kg (50 lbs). For comparison, each liter of water weighs only 1 kg (~2.2 lbs).
Place your jewelry on a table or hold it in your hand, pour some white vinegar on the metal directly (a dropper can also be used) if the metal of the jewelry changes its color, it is not pure gold and if it keeps shining then you have real gold in your hand.
If it's real gold, your teeth will form small dents in the metal. Fake gold won't dent at all on a bite test! Now, before you chip a tooth, remember that gold is a soft metal so there's no need to bite down very hard.
Therefore, gold has a density of 19.32 g/cm3 whereas silver has a density of only 10.49 g/cm3. Thus, a 1 oz bar of gold will be almost half as large as a 1 oz bar of silver.
Water weighs about 8.3 pounds per gallon. Therefore gold weighs 19.3 times as much or (19.3 x 8.3 lb) about 160 pounds per gallon. Although gold has a density 19.3 times greater than water and is one of the most dense substances on Earth, there are substances with far more amazing densities.
What is the size of a 1 kg gold bar ? The gold bar of one kilo is very small, due to the high density of gold. The size and dimensions of the new Royal Mint 1 kilo gold bar are : 11.8 cm long, 5.3 cm wide and 0.8 cm thick. This corresponds approximately to the size of an iPhone 5 !
Pure gold is much too soft to be worn as jewelry on a daily basis, it's very soft for a metal and easy to bend, scratch, or ding. A pure gold, or even 22K, simple band could easily be bent with a strong hand and applied pressure.
Look for a Letter Mark
If the item of jewelry has the letters GP, GF, or GEP stamped on it, these indicate that it is not made of real gold. GP means it is gold plated, GF means it is gold filled, and GEP means it is gold electroplate. That is, the jewelry is made of some other metal with a thin layer of gold on top.
White vinegar is the most acidic vinegar, so it works the best for testing gold. It is also clear-colored, so it will show a color change the best. You'll want to use an eyedropper to pour your vinegar so that you can control the amount that you put on your gold piece.
An acid test can reveal the karat of solid gold jewelry, but it can also show whether jewelry is solid gold or gold-plated. With an acid test, a small sample of the jewelry is removed and exposed to acid to induce a color change. The resulting colors indicate which type of metal the jewelry is made of.
Mercury, lead, chromium, cadmium, and arsenic have been the most common heavy metals that induced human poisonings. Here, we reviewed the mechanistic action of these heavy metals according to the available animal and human studies. Acute or chronic poisonings may occur following exposure through water, air, and food.
“A teaspoon of neutron star would weigh around a billion tons,” Associate Professor Melatos says. According to the NASA website, that's about the same as Mt Everest. The birth of a neutron star is essentially the collapse of a giant burnt out star, a sun that is 10 to 100 times bigger than our own sun.
So a strong magnet will attract gold ever so slightly and will also repel it.
Aim to get 90 to 95% of the spot price when selling gold bars or coins, and 70 to 80% of melt value for jewelry and other items. A karat is a unit of measure for the fineness of gold. For example, your 12-karat gold band is 50% gold. An 18-karat gold band would be 75% gold.
Fool's Gold can be one of three minerals. The most common mineral mistaken for gold is pyrite. Chalcopyrite may also appear gold-like, and weathered mica can mimic gold as well.
One of the simplest ways to test gold at home is the Float Test. All you need is a cup (or bowl) of water and your gold item. Place your gold piece into the water. If it's genuine gold, then it will immediately sink to the bottom of the cup.