You might have already wondered if gold, the most desired of precious metals in the world for millennia, is attracted to a magnet.
In this article, we will scientifically explain how magnetic fields work and whether fine gold, like silver, is a non-magnetic metal.
Key Takeaways
- Gold is diamagnetic, meaning it is not attracted to magnets and has a slightly repellent property against them.
- Gold's density and atomic structure prevent its electrons from aligning with a magnetic field, contributing to its unique properties, such as its high melting point and low reactivity.
- Materials can be diamagnetic (e.g., gold, silver), paramagnetic (e.g., palladium, platinum), or ferromagnetic (e.g., iron, nickel, cobalt), with varying degrees of magnetic susceptibility.
- Pure gold (24k) is not magnetic, but gold alloys containing metals such as iron or nickel may exhibit magnetic properties. Jewelers alloy gold to increase durability and reduce cost.
Is Gold Magnetic?
Gold is a diamagnetic metal, which means it is not attracted to a magnet. In fact, it has a slightly repellent property against magnets.
Gold Atom
Gold atoms have an odd number of electrons (79), which means they will always contain one unpaired electron. However, due to their extreme density, those electrons bond with each other and cannot be aligned to an unpaired one from a magnetic material.
Gold has an atomic weight of 196.96657 u and a density of 19.3 g/cm³, making it one of the densest metals. This is also the explanation for other of gold's unique properties, i.e., its high melting point, low reactivity, and electrical conductivity.
You can see how gold reacts to a magnet for yourself in the following video:
Do you know the intricate process that results in the formation of gold ores? Read all about it in our article “How is gold formed?”
How Does a Magnet Work?
Magnetism results from interactions between the electric charges within different materials, leading to attractive or repulsive forces. Understanding this phenomenon requires exploring the composition of matter on an atomic level.
Atoms, the building blocks of all materials, consist of protons, neutrons, and electrons. In materials with an even number of electrons, such as cloth or wood, the electrons spin in opposite directions and cancel each other out, yielding no net magnetism.
Conversely, materials with an odd number of electrons exhibit magnetic properties due to the alignment of unpaired electrons, which attract each other. That is, the electrons in these materials will spin in the same direction. Furthermore, materials with all electrons paired exhibit negative susceptibility, causing them to repel from magnetic fields.
Magnetic Metals
Most elements of the universe can be classified as diamagnetic, paramagnetic, or ferromagnetic.
Diamagnetic materials such as fine gold and silver have a weak, negative susceptibility to magnetic fields. White gold, if silver is used in the alloy, should also be non-magnetic. Diamagnetic elements like pure silver are slightly repelled by magnetic fields, and their content does not retain the magnetic properties when the external field is removed.
In diamagnetic materials, however, all electrons are paired, so there is no net magnetic field or force per atom within. Diamagnetism arises from the realignment of the electron paths under the influence of external magnetic fields. Most periodic table elements, such as copper and silver, are classified as diamagnetic.
Paramagnetic materials have a small, positive susceptibility to magnetic fields (a slight attraction to magnets). Although a magnetic field slightly attracts these materials, the content does not retain the magnetic properties when the external magnetic force is removed, meaning it cannot become a permanent magnet.
Paramagnetic properties arise from the presence of unpaired electrons and the reorientation of electron pathways induced by external magnetic fields. Paramagnetic materials include palladium and platinum.
Platinum Bars
Ferromagnetic materials have significant, positive susceptibilities to external magnetic fields. They exhibit a strong attraction to magnetic fields and can maintain magnetic properties even after the external magnetic field is removed.
Ferromagnetic materials have some unpaired electrons, so their atoms have a net magnetic attraction. They get their strong magnetic properties due to the presence of magnetic domains. When a magnetizing force is applied, the areas become aligned to produce a strong magnetic field within the part. Iron, nickel, and cobalt are examples of ferromagnetic materials.
Non-Magnetic Metals
Non-magnetic metals do not retain ferromagnetic or paramagnetic characteristics. Most common metals we find daily, such as aluminum, copper, brass, tungsten, and titanium, are not magnetic metals. They cannot be made into magnets and will not be attracted to magnetic fields.
Is Gold Jewelry Magnetic?
Fine gold, like 24-karat gold jewelry, lacks magnetic properties and won't attract magnets. However, gold alloys incorporating iron, cobalt, or nickel may exhibit magnetism. In such cases, it's not the gold itself but the presence of magnetic metals like iron or nickel in the alloy that attracts magnets.
Consequently, gold alloys such as 18k, 14k, or 10k could display magnetic characteristics if they contain magnetic metals in their composition.
Why Do Jewelers Add Other Metals to Gold?
There are two main reasons why jewelers mix different metals with gold: first, gold is a malleable, soft metal. So, to make the gold piece harder and more durable, jewelers will add other metals to the alloy. The most common metals alloyed with gold are zinc, copper, nickel, iron, cadmium, aluminum, silver, platinum, and palladium.
The second reason is that it makes the gold piece cheaper. You can expect 24k gold jewelry to be marginally more expensive than a 14k piece.
Gold-Plated vs. Real Gold
Gold plating is a method of covering the surface of another metal, such as copper or silver, with a thin layer of gold. Although very common in the jewelry industry, a gold-plated piece is not considered real gold. Many will argue that for a piece to be considered "real gold," it must be at least 10 karats (or 41.7% pure gold).
Magnetism as a Test for Gold
The most trusted method of testing your gold pieces, such as a gold coin or a piece of gold jewelry, is to take them to a reputable gold dealer. However, it is possible to perform tests, like the acid test or a magnet test, to check if your gold piece is 100% pure or possibly fake gold.
As aforementioned, 24k gold is never magnetic. If your gold piece is attracted to a magnet, you might not be able to determine its exact purity levels, but you could most likely discard the possibility of it being 100% pure.
Watch the following video and read our article on how to tell if gold is real to learn more about possible tests. Discover chemical tests and the proper electrical equipment that will give you a more accurate result.
Why Can a Metal Detector Find Gold?
Metal detectors emit an electromagnetic field. This field can be used to find magnetic objects and other precious metals. When this field encounters a metal object, it energizes it, causing it to emit its own electromagnetic field. The detector's search coil picks up this signal, allowing the user to locate the metal.
Adjusting the detector's frequency is crucial for effectively detecting different metals, such as gold and silver. Lower frequencies, like 5kHz, are better for detecting large silver, while higher frequencies, like 40kHz, are more suitable for finding small gold pieces, like gold coins.
FAQs
Can Gold Stick to a Magnet?
Gold cannot stick to a magnet and, in fact, will slightly repel it. It is a precious metal with many properties, but it is not magnetic. If a magnet attracts a golden piece when in contact with it, it may indicate that it is not real gold or pure. It is probably an alloy with another metal, which may be magnetic.
Can You Make Gold Magnetic?
Pure gold is not magnetic, so an item made of fine gold will not stick to magnets, even a strong magnet. A possible option to make gold become magnetic is to alloy it with another metal, like iron or nickel. As they are magnetic, the alloy would promote magnetism. Some recent research discovered that applying heat to gold would make it slightly magnetic, but only under specific conditions.
Is 24k gold magnetic?
24k gold is not magnetic. Karatage is a metric system expressed in 24 parts, used to indicate the levels of gold in a particular alloy. 24k indicates that all 24 parts of an alloy present levels of gold higher than 99.95%. In other words, the analyzed gold is pure, and no different metals are mixed. If pure gold is a non-magnetic metal, consequently, neither is 24k gold.
Does 18k gold stick to a magnet?
It is possible that an 18k gold piece sticks to a magnet. 18k or 18 karat means that a specific alloy contains 75% pure gold and 25% other metals. Since fine gold is not magnetic, gold itself will not be responsible for the magnetism, but the metal alloy may be. 18k gold is usually proper for manufacturing wearable jewelry, alloyed with nickel, silver, or copper, which makes the pieces stronger, as gold is too malleable.
Does a magnet stick to 14k gold?
Gold, in its pure form, does not promote magnetism. If a specific item containing gold sticks to a magnet, it is possible that the other materials alloyed with gold are magnetic and causing the attraction. 14k indicates that the gold alloy has approximately 58.3% gold, which is low compared to 18k or 24k. The rest may be composed of magnetic materials.
What does it mean when gold is magnetic?
A magnet does not attract gold. If a specific item containing gold, like gold coins, gold rings, or necklaces, adheres to a magnet, it is likely not solely made of gold. It could be the consequence of an alloy of gold and another metal. Golden jewelry, for instance, typically combines gold with other metals to enhance durability.
How accurate is the magnet test for gold?
Magnet testing may fail if the metal alloyed with gold is not magnetic. Then, testing gold with a magnet would provide an inaccurate result. Specific thermo or electronic testing machines are appropriate for this examination and yield dependable outcomes. Professional evaluators typically employ this technology to analyze gold purity levels precisely.
