Gold Rush Quiz
Gold has been prized by humans since ancient times. Wars have been fought over it, alchemists have labored to make it, and countless artists have fashioned it into beautiful objects. But how much do you know about this precious metal? Test your aptitude with our quiz.
Which of these qualities helps make gold valuable?
Malleable
Imperishable
Untarnishable
All of the Above
Gold has been valued by humans in part because it's highly malleable, allowing it to be fashioned into coins, jewelry and art. In addition, it's imperishable, meaning that it's difficult to break to break down and its golden luster is never dulled by tarnish.
How much does the most commonly used gold bar weigh?
27 pounds
40 pounds
55 pounds
100 pounds
According to the World Gold Council, the internationally-traded London Good Delivery Bar weighs 27 pounds.
What is the density of gold in grams per cubic centimeter?
(the three incorrect answers are the values for lead, iron and uranium)
(the three incorrect answers are the values for lead, iron and uranium)
7.8 grams
11.3 grams
19.1 grams
19.3 grams
The density of gold is 19.32 grams per cubic centimeter, "heavier" than iron (7.87 grams), lead (11.34 grams) and even uranium (19.1 grams).
Which scientific theory best explains why gold appears yellow to human eyes?
Gravity
Magnetism
Special Relativity
Quantum
Not until the 1970's did theoretical chemists acknowledge that the properties of a select group of elements could only be explained by Einstein's theory of special relativity. Electrons in gold atoms travel at such high speeds that they produce relativistic effects that impart a yellow hue, while all other elemental metals — except for copper and osmium — appear gray or silver.
What chemical had long been used to confirm the presence of gold?
Sodium carbonate
Potassium permanganate
Sulphuric acid
Nitric acid
Nitric acid will dissolve silver and all base metals but leave gold untouched. These reaction differences provide a direct method to confirm the presence of gold and have led to the term "acid test."
What is the top gold-producing country in the world?
Democratic Republic of Congo
South Africa
China
Brazil
South Africa was the top gold-producing country in the world for many years but China shot ahead in 2007 and still holds the lead. Other top producers include Australia, the United States, Canada and Russia.
How much gold has been mined since the beginning of human history?
5,000 tons
165,000 tons
2 million tons
300 million tons
According to the World Gold Council, the best estimate is that 165,000 tons of gold have been mined by humans over the last five to six thousand years.
What was the weight of the famous Holtermann Nugget, discovered in Australia in 1872?
78 pounds
112 pounds
378 pounds
630 pounds
The Holtermann Nugget, discovered in Australia in 1872, weighed 630 pounds before it was broken up and sold. At today's gold price, the nugget would have worth over $13 million.
What is the top gold-producing state in the United States?
Alaska
California
Colorado
Nevada
Nevada is the top gold-producing state in the United States. Other top U.S. producers are Alaska, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.
Who made the discovery that triggered the California Gold Rush of 1848?
James Marshall
John Fremont
Jim Bridger
John Sutter
James Marshall, who was building a saw mill for John Sutter near Sacramento in 1848, found the first gold nuggets that triggered the California Gold Rush.
What type of gold recovery remains commercially unviable?
Lode mining
Placer mining
Seawater extraction
Scrap recovery
The world's oceans do contain gold, but in such small concentrations that no extraction process has yet proved profitable. Recently, recovering gold from scrap electronics has become lucrative, but mining gold in hard rock lodes and alluvial placer deposits has always been the main source of new gold.
How much of the cumulative reserves of the world's national banks are currently held in gold?
12 percent
37 percent
50 percent
70 percent
The central banks of the world's nations maintain an average of about 12 percent of their reserves in gold, according to the World Gold Council.
Which country was the last to give up a gold-backed currency?
South Africa
Switzerland
Norway
Germany
Switzerland was the last country in the world to have its currency backed by gold. This requirement was rescinded as part of the passing of a new Swiss constitution in 1999.
Gold have been used to treat symptoms in which of these diseases?
Tuberculosis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Prostate Cancer
All of the above
Injections of gold salts are used to treat inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis and tuberculosis, while gold radioisotopes have been found effective against some types of prostate cancer.
How much of the world's supply of gold is regularly recycled for different uses?
less than 1 percent
5 percent
20 percent
75 percent
According to the World Gold Council, about 20 percent of the world's gold supply comes from recycling jewelry and other items.
EEEK
OK, so you didn't do that awesome this time. You'll get there.
NOT ... TERRIBLE
Nice try, but you're not quite an expert on this precious metal.
GREAT JOB!
Wow, you're an expert! You have the skills necessary to mine for gold with Todd Hoffman.
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