# can you over heat gold when melting?



## duhiliketolick (May 14, 2009)

Can the gold be overheated and changed into a unrecognizable substance?


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## Lou (May 14, 2009)

Unless you consider boiling the gold changing it into an unrecognizable substance, then no. Pure gold won't do a thing if you heat it, just stay nice and shiny. If you overheat it, what will happen is an increase in the gold's vapour pressure, which will cause loss due to volatilization. You should never have gold over 2200F for any reason.


Lou


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