WHAT ARE OLYMPIC GOLD METALS MADE OF?

OLYMPIC FUN FACTS:

Rio MedalsHave you ever questioned whether or not the Olympic gold medals are actually made of gold? This is a fantastic question! It turns out the gold medals have not been made of gold since 1912! The modern day Olympic gold medals are made of 92.5% sterling silver and plated in 6 grams of 24 karat gold.

This year the silver (.925 grade) used to make the medals come from recycled mirrors and x-ray plates. Each medals weighs 500-grams and measures at least 3 millimeters in thickness. The host city is responsible for designing the medals.

To learn more about the history of the Olympic medals visit https://chemistry.about.com/od/gold/f/Are-The-Olympic-Gold-Medals-Real-Gold.htm

2016 Summer Olympic Medals (Photo: Rio 2016/Alex Ferro)