This article contains comparison of key thermal and atomic properties of gold and lead, two comparable chemical elements from the periodic table. It also contains basic descriptions and applications of both elements. Gold vs Lead.
Gold and Lead – About Elements
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Gold and Lead – Applications
Gold
Gold is used extensively in jewellery, either in its pure form or as an alloy. About 75% of all gold produced is used in the jewelry industry. Pure gold is too soft to stand up to the stresses applied to many jewelry items. Craftsmen learned that alloying gold with other metals such as copper, silver, and platinum would increase its durability. The term ‘carat’ indicates the amount of gold present in an alloy. 24-carat is pure gold, but it is very soft. 18- and 9-carat gold alloys are commonly used because they are more durable. Gold’s high malleability, ductility, resistance to corrosion and most other chemical reactions, and conductivity of electricity have led to its continued use in corrosion resistant electrical connectors in all types of computerized devices (its chief industrial use). Gold is also used in infrared shielding, colored-glass production, gold leafing, and tooth restoration. Only 10% of the world consumption of new gold produced goes to industry, but by far the most important industrial use for new gold is in fabrication of corrosion-free electrical connectors in computers and other electrical devices.
Lead
Lead metal has several useful mechanical properties, including high density, low melting point, ductility, and relative inertness. Lead is widely used for car batteries, pigments, ammunition, cable sheathing, weights for lifting, weight belts for diving, lead crystal glass, radiation protection and in some solders. The largest use of lead in the early 21st century is in lead–acid batteries. The lead in batteries undergoes no direct contact with humans, so there are fewer toxicity concerns. Lead is used in high voltage power cables as sheathing material to prevent water diffusion into insulation; this use is decreasing as lead is being phased out. A lead is widely used as a gamma shield. Major advantage of lead shield is in its compactness due to its higher density. On the other hand depleted uranium is much more effective due to its higher Z. Depleted uranium is used for shielding in portable gamma ray sources.
Gold and Lead – Comparison in Table
| Element | Gold | Lead |
| Density | 19.3 g/cm3 | 11.34 g/cm3 |
| Ultimate Tensile Strength | 220 MPa | 17 MPa |
| Yield Strength | 205 MPa | 5.5 MPa |
| Young’s Modulus of Elasticity | 79 GPa | 16 GPa |
| Mohs Scale | 2.75 | 1.5 |
| Brinell Hardness | 190 MPa | 38 MPa |
| Vickers Hardness | 215 MPa | N/A |
| Melting Point | 1064 °C | 327.5 °C |
| Boiling Point | 2970 °C | 1740 °C |
| Thermal Conductivity | 320 W/mK | 35 W/mK |
| Thermal Expansion Coefficient | 14.2 µm/mK | 28.9 µm/mK |
| Specific Heat | 0.128 J/g K | 0.13 J/g K |
| Heat of Fusion | 12.55 kJ/mol | 4.799 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 334.4 kJ/mol | 177.7 kJ/mol |