how can you tell the difference between fools gold and real gold?

Answer 1

Fool's Gold is also known as Iron Pyrite. It's a mix of sulfur and iron. The sulfur gives it the yellow appearance. Being an iron compound it will be very much harder than gold. Gold is one of the most malleable metals next to lead and mercury. Pure gold can be dented with a tooth, hence the old practice of biting a coin to check for fakes. Pure iron was hard to find before ore was discovered but impure varieties such as iron pyrite were available for use as strikers for flint firestarters. It often has a cube-like crystalline structure. Gold being soft flows like water in the surrounding rocks.
I'll throw this in also..... being iron which is ferrous(magnetic) i would assume that fool's gold will stick to a magnet. If not it will still carry an electrical current.

Once you've actually seen the two and felt them you would not really be able to get them confused. Only a "fool" would think Iron pyrite was real gold!

Answer 2

Some pretty good answers so far. Gold has a specific gravity of 19.3 So it is about the heaviest thing you will find. Gold will shine even in the shade. Iron pyrite or fools gold will not. Pyrite has a cleavage to it. There will usually be straight lines and fractures on it. It will have a brassy,green tint to it. Gold will look more like jewelery you wear. Take a small knife and push the point into it. If it shatters it was pyrite. If it cuts it is gold. Many people also call Mica fools gold .It is very light and if in water will move around almost floating. Real gold can be pounded flat and melted. Pyrite will not. If you are interested in finding out information about gold check these great sites out. www.gpaa.com www.49ermike.com and www.goldgold.com these have forums or chat rooms where you can research,post or chat with miners. They are a friendly bunch. Nothing at all like the movies which show us as stingy, crooked, or obsessive . 49er Mike's site has a place called where to go click on that link then your state then your county there you will find areas close by where you can go and recover some of your own gold. I live in SC if you ever get to my area look me up i will take you out to find your own. Once you see it in a pan you will never mistake it again. May the bottom of your pan turn yellow.

Answer 3

Pictures Of Real Gold

Answer 4

Real gold has a more smooth appearance and the yellow is far more rich-looking than pyrite. If you have a sample of one or the other that is big enough to weigh, you can also compare mass and/or weight.

Here's some pictures of pyrite/fool's gold:

http://www.california-gold-rush-miner.us/gold-minerals.htm

Here's some pictures of real gold:

http://www.california-gold-rush-miner.us/gold-nugget-specimens.htm

Note how much richer the yellow appearance looks in the real gold specimens.

Answer 5

Being a native Californian (west USA), I'll tell you that at Sutter's Mill, CA, they tested the nuggets they first found by dropping the (suspected) gold into lye soap, because "fool's gold" would react with the lye.

It didn't - so they knew it was real...

If only they'd kept their mouths shut! (Can you say, "Gold Rush?")
Oh, well...

Answer 6

Fools gold is not a metal, so you can try to pass a small current through your sample (like use a battery, a wire, a small light bulb)

Answer 7

Gold will never tarnish but fools gold will tarnish. Just leave it outside for a bit - if it stays gold coloured it is gold.

Answer 8

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yeah bro,, real gold is slightly heavier, and the real "Thing" may be on Mars!!! lmao!

Answer 9

If it's real it shouldnt leave any indents from your teeth when you bite on it-idk
or your local jewellery store should be able to tell you!

Answer 10

I often end up submitting the same thing on other sites