Page 40 - Curriculum Visions Dynamic Book

Uses of gold
Gold is the most easily worked of all metals. This means that it can be drawn out into fine wires or beaten into sheets so thin that they are almost transparent. At this stage the gold is just a few atoms thick.
One of the most common uses of thin sheets of gold is as gold leaf, a decorative material that is used on furniture, walls and religious objects. Many people use gold leaf as part of their religious devotions. Gold has also played an important part in the world’s money supply (see next page).
Carat
The purity of gold is measured in carats. Pure gold is known as 24 carat gold. Other forms of gold are alloys of gold with silver, copper or nickel.
 Gold has been used decoratively since the earliest times both for jewellery and decorative ware, and for adornment to buildings (as in St. Mark’s cathedral, Venice, shown here). Gold retains its shine even when used outdoors, which is why gold leaf is used on the domes of some United States capitol buildings.
 Gold leaf being used in a Buddhist ceremony.
The carat number shows how much gold is in each alloy. Thus 8 carat gold contains 8/24ths or one-third gold; 18 carat gold contains 18/ ths or
24 three-quarters gold and so on. White gold has the
lowest concentration of gold, being 6/24ths gold and one-quarter nickel.
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