Gold (Au) Fun Facts

79 Au
Superhero Identity

"The Golden Standard, the timeless, incorruptible hero, desired by all and the universal symbol of wealth."

The true essence of Gold (Au) on the molecular frontier.

Appearance

Gold is a bright, yellow, soft, and dense precious metal.

Everyday Connection

Gold is found in a piece of gold jewelry like a wedding ring.

In Pop Culture

Gold is the object of desire in countless stories, from Jason and the Golden Fleece to Goldfinger.

Did You Know?

1

It is the most malleable of all metals; a single ounce (about 28 grams) can be beaten out into a translucent sheet covering more than 9 square meters (100 sq ft).

2

Its chemical symbol, Au, comes from 'aurum', the Latin word for gold, which means 'shining dawn'.

3

Nearly all of the gold on Earth came from meteorites that bombarded the planet over 200 million years after it formed.

4

Gold is so chemically unreactive that it never rusts and is found in its pure, native form in nature.

5

The world's oceans are estimated to contain about 20 million tons of gold, but it is too dilute to be profitably extracted.