Gold and silver have long been considered valuable metals and used in many ornaments. Therefore, the comparison between the two is inevitable, most people distinguish the two metals on their weight, value, density, etc.
If you are wondering, is gold heavier than silver, this guide will answer all your questions relating to the weight of these precious metals.
Is Gold Heavier Than Silver?
Gold is heavier than silver, in fact, it has nearly twice the density. Even if it appears smaller, gold is a heavier material with a much higher density.
For instance, a 2-ounce gold bar is smaller than a 2-ounce silver bar but upon picking them up, the gold bar will be heavier.
Due to its nature and density, smaller gold products are deceptively heavier than silver pieces of the same size. In reality, gold is nearly twice as heavy than silver.
Gold Vs Silver Weight
The difference in weights is quite understandable when you bring volume and density into the picture.
To illustrate the difference, lets take the example of a grocery bag full of feathers. Lifting a bag full of feathers seems light whereas, filling the same bag with concrete and lifting it up would feel heavier.
Likewise, the difference between the weight of gold and silver becomes apparent when you lift a gold or silver bar of similar size. You will clearly observe the difference between the weight of the two metals.
A 1 oz bar of gold will appear smaller than the 1 oz bar of silver, however, weigh approximately the same. It is possible for a smaller gold object or bar to weigh more than a larger bar of silver.
The Density of the Gold and Silver
Undoubtedly, gold is malleable and soft yet heavier than many metals due to it being remarkably dense. In short, density is mass per unit volume; the weight of an object per unit of volume. Water has a specific density of 1 and the density of other materials are related to that of water.
Gold has a density of 19.32 g/cm³, on the other hand, silver has a density of 10.49cm³. In addition, silver has a density of 0.30 per cubic inch and a thickness of 0.68 ounces per cubic inch.
To illustrate the density difference between gold and silver, take a bar that is one inch on each side. Nearly one cubic inch is required to fill the bar, in contrast, it would take approximately two cubic inches to fill the same space.
Why is Gold Heavier Than Silver?
To understand the difference between the weight of gold and silver, let’s go back to 10th-grade science to know why the difference exists. Density or specific gravity is relative to the size of the nucleus of the atom.
A single atom of Silver (Ag) has 47 protons and electrons and 61 neutrons whereas the single atom of Gold (Au) consists of a total of 79 protons and electrons and 118 neutrons.
The number of protons, electrons, and neutrons in the gold atom is nearly double that of the silver atom.
It is also the reason for the substantial difference between the density of gold and silver. Similarly, it explains why gold objects feel heavier than silver objects of the same size.
Conclusion
Gold is not only heavier but also significantly more valuable than silver. The heavier weight of the gold is due to its higher density and the total number of protons, electrons, and neutrons. The gold is heavier and dense despite being soft and malleable. Each of its items is individually heavy to contribute to its weight.