Part 1 of Essay
Gold's great virtues of malleability, ductility, reflectivity, resistance to corrosion and unparalleled ability as a thermal and electrical conductor mean it is used in a wide variety of industrial applications consuming close to 300 tonnes annually. Gold (Au, from Latin "Aurum" (World Book Dictionary) is the most non-reac ....

Part 2 of Essay
.... into a wire five miles long. Gold's malleability is also unparalleled. It can be shaped or extended into extraordinarily thin sheets. For example, one ounce of gold can be hammered into a 100 square foot sheet. Gold is the most reflective and least absorptive material of infrared (or heat) energy. High purity gold reflects up to 99% of infrared rays. Gold is also an excellent conductor of thermal energy or heat. Since many electronic processes create heat, gold is necessary to transfer heat away from delicate i ....