When you buy gold, it’s important to know if it’s pure or not. Luckily, there are a few easy and quick ways to test your gold at home.
One of the simplest tests is the float test. All you need to do is fill a glass of water and drop your gold item into it.
Float Test
The float test is an easy way to determine whether a gold item is real or fake. It involves dropping it into a cup or bowl of water and seeing if it floats to the top or sinks quickly to the bottom.
This test can be done easily at home with a few simple supplies. First, you need a piece of gold that is close in weight and size to the one you want to test.
You also need a jar or a graduated cylinder with a lid that is half-full of water. Next, place your gold piece in the cylinder and record the water level before it is submerged and after it is submerged.
If the piece of gold sinks, it’s likely to be authentic; if it floats or stays in the middle, it is probably a counterfeit. For this test to be dependable, you need to use an authentic piece of gold.
Acid Test
The acid test is a quick and easy way to find out if a piece of gold jewelry is real or fake. You simply need white vinegar and a dropper or glass container to make the test.
You can use a black stone to leave a small mark on the gold piece that you want to test. Then, you can apply nitric acid (also known as aqua fortis) to the notch.
The acid will dissolve any base metals that are not gold. This test is not 100% accurate, but it is the most reliable method for testing gold at home.
Magnetic Test
The magnetic test is a cheap and convenient way to check if your gold is real. However, it is not foolproof as counterfeit pieces may contain other metals which aren’t magnetic (like silver).
Another quick and easy home gold test is the float test. Simply drop a piece of gold into a glass of water and see if it sinks or floats.
If it sinks, it’s likely real gold. If it floats, then it’s probably a fake piece made from another metal.
This is a common nondestructive testing method which is used to check the integrity of ferromagnetic metals like iron, nickel, and cobalt. It is commonly used in the aerospace industry to inspect forgings, castings, and weldments.
Scratch Test
The scratch test is a simple but effective way to determine the purity of a gold alloy. It involves using a touchstone and scratching the piece of jewelry against it.
If the piece of jewelry is pure gold, the mark left behind should turn yellow and not black. If the mark is not, it’s likely that the item contains other metals that were dissolved to make it more durable.
Another test you can use to check the purity of gold is a nitric acid test. This method is fairly reliable as long as you only use nitric acid of varying concentrations.
This is a popular home gold test that you can do with toothpaste or even a magnet. It works because the toothpaste has a small number of abrasive particles that will scratch and remove a thin layer of gold. However, this method will not be 100% accurate as it can also be used to test fake gold.
