2006-06-18 03:42:03 · 10 answers · asked by NEOTEH 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Non-radioactive elements are virtually indestructible at the atomic level, unless you're using a nuclear reactor or an atom smasher. Even if you dissolve gold in aqua regia, the gold atoms are still there, just combined with other atoms in some compound, and could be extracted from the compound by some chemical reaction.
Being "indestructible" is not really the quality for which gold is prized. It's that it will still be bright and pure even after years, since it doesn't oxidize, unlike silver, which tarnishes. Gold can be melted down and recast any number of times, a quality known as "fungibility".
2006-06-18 05:48:45 · answer #1 · answered by Flyboy 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Incorrect. Gold is a very stable atom; however, it is not indestructable. A simple chemical reaction with sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid can easily "destroy" gold. Bombarding a gold atom with neutrons would also prove gold is not indestructable.
2006-06-18 07:05:03 · answer #2 · answered by jlfirewind27 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
An object made of pure gold can be reshaped quite easily. Destruction at the atomic level is much more difficult, but the same applies to any element.
2006-06-18 03:56:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
In terms of the element at the atomic level, it is stable.
In terms of the physical metal, no. It can be dissolved in a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid, known as aqua regia (Latin for king's water).
2006-06-18 03:46:01 · answer #4 · answered by TheOnlyBeldin 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
nothing is indestructable, everything has a melting point or a burning point. to make gold coins, in fact, ingets are rolled to about I think it was a sixteenth of an inch then pressed to make coins, then struck with a die to make the imprint.
2006-06-18 05:22:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
If gold is dissolved in aqua regia (3 parts H2SO4 and 1part HNO3) it gets dissolved.It is also very ductile.
2006-06-18 03:48:29 · answer #6 · answered by kind boy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no it is very soft in fact. You can also dissolve it in aqua regia, the water of gods. Aqua regia is a mix of nitric and hydrochloric acids
2006-06-18 04:36:28 · answer #7 · answered by satanorsanta 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
just throw it away, it surely broke some heart, anything else, see the above
2006-06-18 05:02:03 · answer #8 · answered by Henry W 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No
2006-06-18 03:44:58 · answer #9 · answered by sam21462 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
absolutely not
2006-06-18 03:45:08 · answer #10 · answered by stewbiscit 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋