Social Question

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

Does 100% pure gold and silver exist?

Asked by RedDeerGuy1 (24882points) May 31st, 2023

Not five 9’s, but pure gold and silver?

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

4 Answers

Hawaii_Jake's avatar

I don’t know, but it seems improbable. Tiny bits of microscopic dust and such will get in and cause it to be only 99.999% pure.

Zaku's avatar

You can get six 9’s, and it has been done, back in the 1950s.

A bit more than six 9’s may be possible, but there is no real reason anyone wants to do that.

Wanting absolutely infinitely pure gold, would tend to be a misunderstanding, an obsession, and/or an unrealistic theoretical/philosophical/alchemical notion.

Usually people intentionally mix other metal(s) with gold, because pure gold is so soft, and they want certain colors, and/or to have more metal for less cost per weight.

24K (five 9’s) is the most pure that people generally (if not always) make or sell.

@Hawaii_Jake Gold is quite heavy, and when one melts it into bars, other stuff tends to get worked out.

gorillapaws's avatar

I’m just guessing but I doubt one would find some mass where every single atom is only gold or only silver. However the universe is a big place. Maybe there are natural phenomena/processes where this is possible? Perhaps there are regions within stars where gold and/or silver exist as pure gas? or within pockets of the mantle of planets or moons? That’s pure speculation. I know nothing of the subject.

Maya_01's avatar

Not a very intellectual response but in my personal opinion I think that gold and silver are not pure anymore. In this age of inflation, I think the purest gold you can get is gold-plated jewellery. Again this is relative to where I live.

Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion. This response doesn’t have any information on the chemical composition of gold and silver

Answer this question

Login

or

Join

to answer.
Your answer will be saved while you login or join.

Have a question? Ask Fluther!

What do you know more about?
or
Knowledge Networking @ Fluther