Gold and silver - two of the most famous and valuable metals in the world. Since the beginning of time, they have been highly valued by the human race for their unique properties that have no counterpart in nature: they are metals that are found in the world in just enough quantities to make coins, jewelry, currency, and rare decorations and accessories. , but which are also rare enough to retain their meaning and value. In addition, their extraction also involves more demanding procedures, which is why not everyone can easily get to them. But what other properties do gold and silver have that make them so special?
Gold - more than just a yellow metal
Basic information about gold:
chemical symbol: Au
atomic number: 79
properties: dense, soft, yellow metal
For centuries, gold has been valued above all for its beauty. But it also has other, less visible chemical properties that make it very special.
It is one of the least reactive chemical elements - it reacts very difficult to other elements or compounds. This makes it ideal for use in jewelry and other decorative items, as well as for use in electronic components. Among other things, it is also a property that makes it an ideal material for the production of investment coins - thanks to the properties of gold, they are very resistant to any external influences and are subject to minimal damage over time.
Gold does not corrode. Therefore, there is no risk that your gold jewelry or coins will rust, or that an electronic product will stop working due to the destruction of a gold component.
It is highly malleable and soft. So it is very easy to make all possible shapes without breaking. This is useful both in electronics, where it is necessary to produce small and precise components, and in jewelry, where it is necessary to shape small details and ornaments with sensitivity. But this property also comes in handy when minting coins - thanks to minting, detailed dies can easily be printed into soft gold.
One of the key chemical properties of gold is also its high conductivity. Gold is an excellent conductor of electricity and heat - another property that makes it ideal for use in electronic components such as computers and mobile phones.
Silver - what does gold (not) surpass?
Basic information about silver:
chemical symbol: Ag
atomic number: 47
properties: soft, white, shiny metal
The truth is that gold and silver actually have a lot in common in terms of physical and chemical properties. Silver is a good conductor of electricity and heat, making it, like gold, ideal for use in electronic components. But it is also highly reflective, which is why it is used, for example, in mirrors and other optical devices. In addition, silver is extremely malleable and malleable, meaning it can be shaped and drawn into wires or sheets without breaking - again, a property it shares with gold.
One of the key chemical properties of silver - which also fundamentally distinguishes it from gold - is its antibacterial properties. Silver has been shown to have antimicrobial properties and has been used as a natural antiseptic (or surface disinfectant) for centuries precisely because of these properties. This property makes silver absolutely ideal for use in medicine and healthcare - with silver, for example, wound dressings are made, into which miniature nanoparticles of this precious metal are added, which are then released from the dressings into the skin and have a disinfecting effect.
Silver plays an essential role, especially in the last few years, also in the field of dental applications - it is used, for example, in the production of dental prostheses and other types of dental fillings, such as amalgams.
In addition, silver is also resistant to corrosion and oxidation, making it, like gold, ideal for use in jewelry, coins, and other items that are intended to last for a long time.
An interesting fact is that silver is also used for sterilization and disinfection of drinking water due to its disinfecting effects. This is also why, for example, a small amount of this rare metal is an integral part of military emergency kits. Unlike gold, which is mainly used in jewelry, coins and electronics, silver has many vital and health-promoting properties.
Despite the fact that gold is a more expensive and rarer metal, silver has a much wider range of applications and uses in reality due to its more interesting properties. Given that the resources of both of these metals are very limited, among other things, it is speculated whether the demand for silver will not exceed its available amount in the future. It could happen, for example, that one day silver will become even rarer than gold, precisely because it will be needed in other sectors where gold can never find application. But only time will tell.