ANGGRAINI HARI NUR INDAHSARI

TEKNIK KIMIA FTUB 2015

155061101111002

The Sources

Source 1 : Einstein’s theory of relativity explains fundamental properties of

gold
.... (Paragraph 3) The Heidelberg scientists started their investigations with gold
carbenes, which comprise a usually unstable – because highly reactive – double bond
between carbon and gold. However, using a chemical “trick”, Prof. Straub and his team found
a way to obtain and to isolate a stable gold carbene complex for research purposes. In further
steps they managed to prepare and characterise a copper carbene and a silver carbene with
otherwise identical structure, even though both these compounds were much more sensitive
and unstable than the gold carbene. Nevertheless, these complexes enabled the scientists to
make a detailed comparison of the three elements of the coinage metal group – copper, silver
and gold – on the scale of a molecule. Through the crystallisation of the particularly unstable
silver carbene, they were able to determine the bond length between silver and the doubly-
bonded carbon via an x-ray structural analysis. They then compared this with the shorter,
stronger bonding between gold and carbon....
.... (Paragraph 5) The research findings of the Heidelberg chemists confirm that
Einstein‘s theory of relativity does not just play a crucial role in astronomy and space travel
with their huge distances. Prof. Straub also emphasises its significance in the world of
electrons, atoms and molecules.

https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/presse/news2015/pm20151029_einsteins-theory-of-relativity-
explains-fundamental-properties-of-gold.html

Source 2 : 8 Ways You Can See Einstein's Theory of Relativity in Real Life

.... (Paragraph 21) The relativistic effect on gold's electrons is also one reason that the
metal doesn't corrode or react with anything else easily.
Gold has only one electron in its outer shell, but it still is not as reactive as calcium or
lithium. Instead, the electrons in gold, being "heavier" than they should be, are all held closer
to the atomic nucleus. This means that the outermost electron isn't likely to be in a place
where it can react with anything at all — it's just as likely to be among its fellow electrons
that are close to the nucleus..... (Paragraph 22)

http://www.livescience.com/48922-theory-of-relativity-in-real-life.html

Source 3 : Claiming Einstein for chemistry

.... (Paragraph 36) These relativistic electrons become more massive, which in turn
brings them into even tighter orbit around the nucleus. That increases the extent to which
these inner electrons shield the outer electrons from the tug of the nucleus, and so in turn the
orbits of the outer electrons expand and their energies are lowered. So relativistic effects
retune the energy levels of the atom.
ANGGRAINI HARI NUR INDAHSARI
TEKNIK KIMIA FTUB 2015
155061101111002

It's not so exotic, nor so rare, as you might imagine. Were it not for relativistic effects,
gold would look like silver; the reddish tint comes from gold's ability to absorb blue light,
owing to a relativistic shift in the energies of the metal's electronic bands.
This is arguably a more profound manifestation of Einstein's theory than any amount
of cosmic gravitational lensing or slowing of atomic clocks, for this aspect of gold's
appearance accounts for its revered cultural status over thousands of years and for the
symbolism that has since ancient times linked this precious metal with the sun.... (Paragraph
38)
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/Issues/2005/September/einstein.asp

Source 4 : Why do we value gold?

Gold's golden colour has been a mystery until very recently, says Andrea Sella.
The secret lies in its atomic structure. "Quantum mechanics alone doesn't explain it," he says.
"When you get to gold you find the atom is so heavy and the electrons move so fast that you
now have to include Einstein's theory of relativity into the mathematics.
"It is only when you fold together quantum mechanics with relativity that suddenly you
understand it."
Unlike other metals, which in their pure form reflect light straight back, electrons in the gold
"slosh around a little," Sella says, with the result that gold "absorbs a bit of the blue spectrum
light, giving the light that is reflected back its distinctive golden colour".

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25255957

Source 5 : What Gives Gold that Mellow Glow?

... (Paragraph 4) The colour of metals such as silver and gold is mainly due to absorption
of light when a d electron jumps to an s orbital. For silver, the 4d→5stransition has an
energy corresponding to ultraviolet light, so frequencies in the visible band are not absorbed.
With all visible frequencies reflected equally, silver has no colour of its own; it's silvery. In
gold, however, relativistic contraction of the s orbitals causes their energy levels to shift closer
to those of the d orbitals (which are less affected by relativity). This, in turn, shifts the light
absorption (primarily due to the 5d→6s transition) from the ultraviolet down into the lower
energy and frequency blue visual range. A substance which absorbs blue light will reflect the
rest of the spectrum: the reds and greens which, combined, result in the yellowish hue we
call golden.

Warmly glowing gold,

What gives it that autumn hue?
Relativity... (Paragraph 5)

https://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/golden_glow/