This is my alternate assignment project for Chemistry 2202.
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Historically, gold usage can be found back towards 3 000 B.C. in
ancient Egypt in the making of statues, temples, coins, and even face masks
of deceased pharaohs, like that of the famous King Tut. Today, it is used in
electronics such as computers, as a wire that connects circuits to
semi-conductors. In telephones, gold may be found inside the cover of the
mouthpiece as a miniature transmitter, the diaphragm, which contains a gold
plated dome. Even televisions and V.C.R.�s use gold wires that process
broadcast signals into a picture.
Within industry, gold is used in the making of airbags for automobiles. A
sensor near the bumper of the car is gold-plated and sensor send a signal
when activated for the airbag to deploy. On an airplane gold is frequently
found in the engine, and even in a coating on the windows to prevent fogging.
Thus, we are very fortunate that gold is a part of our lives.
There are few, if any negative effects upon the environment concerning
the mining of gold because gold mining companies must make very large
environmental impact studies so that help protect local wildlife before a mining
permit can be given. Thus, the mining of gold in North America is usually forced
(especially in the United States) to operate responsibly towards the environment
to protect such wildlife as native fish and endangered species. However in the
United States the gold mining industry is subjected to a large variety of state and
federal laws to cover almost every different aspect of gold mining operations.
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