Question

The density of gold at room temperature is 19.3 g/cm3 and the density of gold at its melting point is 17.31 g/cm3. What does this information indicate about the differences between solid gold and solid and liquid gold ?

Answer 1

The decreased density of gold at its melting point compared to room temperature indicates that it has a less compact structure as a liquid than as a solid, as atoms move further apart with increased temperature.

Step-by-step explanation:

The change in density of gold from room temperature to its melting point tells us about the behavior of gold when it transitions from solid to liquid. At room temperature, the density of gold is 19.3 g/cm³, indicating tightly packed atoms. When heated to its melting point, the density decreases to 17.31 g/cm³, which shows that the atoms have more space between them, a typical characteristic of liquids compared to solids. This information highlights that solid gold has a more compact atomic structure than liquid gold due to the increased temperature causing the atoms to move apart.