While I was doing some mental exercises today I came up with some interesting information about the difference between 99.95% gold and 99.99% gold after doing some basic math.
I wanted to know what the difference really is compared to some common items that may contaminate gold.
Here's what I came up with:
These numbers will be based on a single troy ounce of gold. The weight of the troy ounce gold will be considered as 31.1 gms for sake of this example:
We have 99.99% - 99.95% = 0.04% difference in purity
0.04% x 31.1gm / 100% = 0.01244 gms difference in weight between purities.
To put this in perspective here's what I've found:
A grain of sand 1 mm x 1 mm x 1mm (1 cubic mm) weighs 0.0026gm
A cubic mm of water weighs 0.001 gms
A cubic mm of air weighs 0.00129 gms
With these basic weights we can determine that a troy ounce of 99.99% gold degrades to 99.95% if it :
Had 0.012 cubic centimeters (mL) of condensation on it !
OR
Had 5 grains of sand stuck to it !
OR
Had an air pocket only 0.0096 cubic centimeters (2.13 mm x 2.13 mm x 2.13 mm) in it !
So the troy ounce of 'ultra pure' gold of 99.99% is guaranteed to have no sand in or on it, no condensation on it, and no air pockets in it when weighed!
This doesn't even take into account the affect on the scales due to air currents, oils from the fingers, or stray metal bits that may hitchhike on the gold bar when weighing. These 'ultra pure' bars must be weighed in totally dry, 100% clean rooms, handled with lint free gloves on, and weighed in a covered scale when they are created.
I don't think I'll ever produce any 99.99% pure gold at home. It's something to think about when discussing gold purity.
Steve
I wanted to know what the difference really is compared to some common items that may contaminate gold.
Here's what I came up with:
These numbers will be based on a single troy ounce of gold. The weight of the troy ounce gold will be considered as 31.1 gms for sake of this example:
We have 99.99% - 99.95% = 0.04% difference in purity
0.04% x 31.1gm / 100% = 0.01244 gms difference in weight between purities.
To put this in perspective here's what I've found:
A grain of sand 1 mm x 1 mm x 1mm (1 cubic mm) weighs 0.0026gm
A cubic mm of water weighs 0.001 gms
A cubic mm of air weighs 0.00129 gms
With these basic weights we can determine that a troy ounce of 99.99% gold degrades to 99.95% if it :
Had 0.012 cubic centimeters (mL) of condensation on it !
OR
Had 5 grains of sand stuck to it !
OR
Had an air pocket only 0.0096 cubic centimeters (2.13 mm x 2.13 mm x 2.13 mm) in it !
So the troy ounce of 'ultra pure' gold of 99.99% is guaranteed to have no sand in or on it, no condensation on it, and no air pockets in it when weighed!
This doesn't even take into account the affect on the scales due to air currents, oils from the fingers, or stray metal bits that may hitchhike on the gold bar when weighing. These 'ultra pure' bars must be weighed in totally dry, 100% clean rooms, handled with lint free gloves on, and weighed in a covered scale when they are created.
I don't think I'll ever produce any 99.99% pure gold at home. It's something to think about when discussing gold purity.
Steve