Wikijunior:The Elements/Gold
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Gold is a yellow precious metal that is valued for its beauty and shine. Not only does gold shine, it can also be formed into different shapes with simple tools and without fire or other heat. Because it is so soft, and can be found in clumps, it is believed to be the first metal that was worked by humans. It has been used for coins and jewelry for thousands of years. Today it is still used in jewelry and as a symbol of wealth. It is also used in electronic devices such as computers.
[edit] Where did its name come from?
Gold gets its English name from the Germanic word gulþa (meaning gold). The Old English word geolu means yellow. In Latin, gold was called aurum. That is why the chemical symbol for gold is Au.
Did You Know?
- Gold may have been one of the first metals used by humans.
- Gold is so soft that people used to bite gold coins to make sure they were real.
- A single gram of gold can be pounded into a sheet of gold leaf covering a square meter.
[edit] Where is it found?
Gold is rare, which means it is difficult to find. Gold is usually found underground, where it is dug out of mines that can tunnel deep into the earth. Above ground, it can sometimes be found in sand and gravel bars in streams. Flakes and grains of gold trapped in rock come loose as the rock is broken up by the force of the water. Then the water carries the gold downstream and it settles out along with sand and gravel when the current slows down. A person called a prospector looks for loose gold above ground. A prospector often carries a wide pan, to scoop up the sand and gravel from the bottom of a stream and swish it around, looking for dust and nuggets of gold. This is called "panning for gold".
[edit] Is it dangerous?
Gold is not very dangerous and does not react very much chemically. Impurities in gold can be poisonous, but very pure gold leaf (sometimes called "edible gold") is safe to eat and is sometimes used to decorate food. In fact, gold is so safe to put in your mouth that even today many people have false teeth and fillings made out of gold.
