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The World of Metals and Non-metals

Why gold and silver make jewellery

An iron bangle turns brown when it is left in the open. A gold bangle stays bright. Why?

Four new bangles: iron, copper, silver and gold.
Step 1 of 2
  1. Four new bangles: iron, copper, silver and gold.
  2. Leave them in the open for a long time. Iron, copper and silver get a coat. Gold stays bright.

Gold does not change in air or water, so it stays bright.

The rule

A jewellery metal shines and shapes easily. It keeps its shine in air and water. Of iron, copper, silver and gold, gold does this best.

Gold is the most malleable metal. Silver is very malleable too. Both spread into very thin sheets. Silver slowly gets a dark coat, so silver jewellery needs polishing. Gold does not react with oxygen or water.

Now try it. Pick a metal. Leave it in the open. Watch the bangle.

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This track

  1. 0 Start here
  2. 1 Shine, and the sound it makes
  3. 2 Beaten flat, or pulled into a wire
  4. 3 Carrying warmth, and carrying the loop
  5. 4 Non-metals are all around you
  6. 5 Why iron goes orange
  7. 6 The job decides which test matters
  8. 7 Checkpoint: properties, rusting and choosing
  9. 8 What burning makes: oxides
  10. 9 Why sodium sits in kerosene
  11. 10 Why gold and silver make jewellery
  12. 11 Jobs that non-metals do
  13. 12 The big picture
  14. 13 Track quiz

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