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Gold is a heavy ductile metal and gold is an Element. Fools gold is actually Iron Pyrite and is brittle and light compared to gold. Gold has a specific gravity around 19 while fools gold (iron pyrite) has a specific gravity of 4.95 to 5.10.

Fools gold is harder than gold. The hardness of Fools gold is 6 to 6.5 while Gold is softer and has a hardness of 2.5 on the Moh's scale of hardness.

When hammered gold will flatten while other yellow minerals break

Fools Gold (Iron Pyrite) is a sulfide of iron,with a metallic appearance and occurs either as distinct cubical crystals or in massive crystalline forms.Pyrite is slightly harder than steel and cannot be scratched with a knife while gold is much softer than steel and can easily be scratched with a knife.

Pyrite emits sulfur when heated...gold does not.

There are many differences between Fools Gold and Gold, that is why "fools gold" got its name.

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Q: How do you distinguish gold from fools gold?
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