Gold can be molded and formed into beautiful pieces of art and jewelry!
A recent chatter on Reddit centered around the distinctive yet widely recognized uses of gold.
It's fascinating how this precious metal is involved in various aspects of our lives, from cutting-edge technology to medical breakthroughs. We often underestimate its significance. In this article, we will discuss 10 uses of gold that you may not have known about.
Gold conducts electricity and doesn't tarnish. All of these qualities tell us why it is a top choice for the technical, industrial, and medical fields. All ancient civilizations have used it as a symbol of authority, purity, and prosperity throughout history.
We still use gold to make many of our most precious items today, including wedding bands, sports medals, money, jewelry, awards, crucifixes, and exquisite pieces of art.
It's truly remarkable how something of such value can also have such a wide range of uses and benefits for society.
Naturally, gold is no longer used as an everyday currency as its worth is increasing at an impressive pace. As of now, the United States is one of the largest gold-producing countries with several mines, accumulating 7% of the worldwide share in gold production.
Alright, let's cut to the chase and delve into our article: 10 uses of gold more precisely!
Gold Uses Throughout History
Gold was first discovered by ancient people that became attracted to it by its beauty and flexibility to transform into multiple shapes. Gold's earliest uses included beautiful ornaments, jewelry, statues, and sacred artifacts. Not long after, the barter system was naturally replaced by gold as a means of value exchange, drastically simplifying commerce.
Due to its portability, measurement, and global recognition, it was the first kind of money ever used.
What is Gold Used for
In addition to its inherent beauty, this yellow metal is highly valued for its rarity, practicality, and adaptability. It is present in every aspect of modern life. Due to its numerous and varied qualities, some of which are exclusive to it, and is an essential and indispensable material in many different industries.
It has historically been used to make coins, bullion, and jewelry, but it has also been used in a number of unconventional ways in recent years.
10 Uses of Gold include
1. Electrical Uses in gold
There's no denying the fact that gold is a terrific electrical conductor. It is a solid electrical component found in motherboards, microchips, and circuitry used in electronic devices like computers and smartphones.
Most common electronic equipment requires low voltages, which can be quickly damaged by corrosion and rust.
Because it lets electric currents move between the points of contact without ever rusting, gold is the most robust and long-lasting electrical material in comparison to other metals.
2. Aerospace Technology
The high radiation levels in orbit seriously harm astronauts and space machinery. The rising temperatures brought on by prolonged radiation exposure can cause equipment and circuits to quickly degrade and fail.
Due to its superior radiation reflectivity, gold is highly valued in aircraft and aerospace technology. Gold foils help in thermoregulation and shield onboard electronics from the blazing space temperatures.
Tiny gold films are added to the helmet screens to protect astronauts' eyes from direct sunlight and radiation. Satellites and spacecraft are also covered with gold to reflect heat.
3. Currency and Coinage
Since gold is rare and has inherent value, people have always exchanged it for money. It is a highly effective and reliable conductor that is portable, easy to break into smaller pieces, and durable.
This yellow metal has been used as currency for many purposes. There is a small difference in price between buying and selling. Compared to commodities like silver, it has a higher value-to-weight ratio, making it more portable.
It is a material store of wealth that financial institutions, governments, central banks, and individual investors own.
Before the US Dollar transitioned to a completely fiat-based currency, the United States operated under a "gold standard" system. During this time, the country held physical gold to support each paper dollar in circulation. Under the gold standard, individuals could exchange their paper currency for its equivalent value in gold.
4. Medical and Dentistry Uses
Medical diagnoses: Cancer cells can be screened, examined, and diagnosed using gold while it moves through the human body.
Medicinal Drugs: Some medications contain gold nanoparticles that are known to fight stomach ulcers and rheumatoid arthritis.
Cancer treatment: Gold particles are injected into tissues to help act as a radiation source during chemotherapy.
The dentistry application with gold dates back to 700 B.C.! As a non-allergenic material, gold has applications in dentistry. It means that when gold comes into contact with the human body, it does not trigger any allergies or reactions.
5. Gold Leaf and Glassmaking
Gold can be used in glassmaking in various ways, such as a pigment, to make unique glasses and useful artwork. Gold is suspended in the glass during the annealing process and used as a pigment to give it a rich ruby color. Glass can also be enhanced with gold leaf to create a golden flake effect.
Gold leaf can be applied to structures to make them durable and corrosion-resistant.Special glasses that aid in temperature regulation in climate-controlled buildings are also made from gold.
Glass with a gold coating reflects sunlight, keeping structures warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Gold is also utilized in building glass and jet windshields to aid in defrosting at high altitudes.
6. Investment Wealth Protection
It has been used in financial transactions and as a symbol of wealth throughout history. Lydia, a kingdom in Asia Minor, is thought to have produced the first coins made entirely of gold in 560 BC. Today, It is still the most common precious metal for investments, and this custom is still followed today.
Coins, bars, and bullion made of gold are among the most popular forms of investment and possession.
7. Jewelry
Gold jewelry has been used for approximately 6,000 years. The renowned burial mask of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun was crafted from this yellow metal.
Since it is very easy to work with, it can be drawn into wires, hammered into thin sheets, melted and cast into shapes, has a high luster, and is a desirable yellow color.
About 78% of the total amount of gold mined each year is used to make jewelry. The most popular way for consumers to obtain it is still through jewelry.
8. Making of Awards and Medals
Trophies and medals are some of the more common commercial uses of gold.
Gold often receives the supreme honor in athletic fields, such as winning the championship in the Olympics, due to its high symbolic and economic worth.
Most Olympic gold medals are over 90% silver, with just over 6 grams of pure gold plating.
9. Food and Beverages
If you're in the mood for something shiny, some upscale eateries serve gold-decorated food, like burgers with gold toppings and ice cream cones dusted with gold shavings.
Recipes containing food-grade gold have no advantages or disadvantages. Gold has no taste.
Edible gold is used only for ornamental purposes.
Gourmet eateries and five-star hotels frequently use it to present visually stunning and opulent meals.
Because edible gold is non-toxic and biologically inert, it is safe to eat.
The use of edible gold as a food additive is permitted by both the US and the EU governments.
10. Cosmetics and Beauty
Beauty products and gold facials have been appreciated in recent years.
Cosmetic companies now use gold nanoparticles to improve the formulations of skin care products such as lotions, eye creams, lip balms, face masks, moisturizers, and sunscreens. Real gold and a combination of skin-soothing ingredients are found in these products.
Companies that sell these gold-infused goods and cosmetic procedures state that gold has qualities that improve skin.
They assert that gold helps prevent aging signs, lower inflammation, and increase collagen production.
Interesting Facts About Gold
1. Earthquakes Might Produce Gold
Small cavities filled with fluids rich in dissolved materials, such as gold and silicate minerals, can swell during an earthquake to up to 130,000 times their previous size along fault zones deep within the Earth's crust.
Under these conditions, the pressure decreases, causing a phenomenon known as flash evaporation. The solubility of minerals in the water decreases as the pressure within the cavity decreases. In a matter of milliseconds, large earthquakes can deposit up to 0.1 milligrams of gold along a fault zone's surface per square meter.
2. Gold is Virtually Indestructible
Gold is an extremely durable metal due to its noble nature, which makes it resistant to reactions. It remains free from rust, oxidation, and most acidic reactions.
As a result, all extracted yello metal is melted, re-melted, and reused extensively. This attribute also makes it a sustainable material for jewelry.
3. Gold is Not the Most Expensive Metal
Despite its rarity, gold is not the most expensive metal. The two most costly metals on Earth are rhodium and palladium. It is significantly less expensive than both metals.
Nevertheless, its price varies according to demand. It is still less expensive than a few metals, though!
4. The Density of Gold
Among all metals, gold has the highest density. It weighs approximately 160 pounds per gallon, which is 19.3 times more than other metals. One of the many reasons it has become so valuable is its weight.
This is in addition to the fact that it can be shaped into practically any shape when it is pure. A gold bar has the potential to be transformed into earrings, bracelets, rings, and family heirlooms, and it serves as a reliable conductor in numerous modern electrical devices.
Conclusion
These are the top 10 uses of gold, and as you can see, the versatility of gold is what drives its high demand. New applications and possible benefits for gold are discovered daily as technology and science advance.
Gold nanotechnologies are being used in a variety of products, including touch-sensitive screens for visual displays, flash drives for data storage, implanted electronics for monitoring patients' vital signs, and flexible solar panels that can be sewn into garments. Gold is a valuable metal that is essential to many industries, and it is expected to stay so for the foreseeable future.
If you want to invest in gold to diversify your portfolio, then starting off with gold bullion items is the best way! Gold bars, coins, and rounds are a terrific way to start investing in yellow metal fractionally.
For this, you can rely on online dealers like BOLD Precious Metal. Here, you can find certified Gold bullion products from popular brands across the globe at the most competitive pricing.
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