[Paladin2]

W is too close in density.

W 19.25 g/cm3

Au 19.3 g/cm3

[Bobbyvotes]

Still enough difference to be measured but I can understand your point.

[KarlInOhio]

Speed of sound is about 50% different. Tungsten 5220 m/s and gold 3240 m/s. Anyone who owns a lot of gold or buys and sells it better buy some ultrasound equipment.

[Leaning Right]

Right you are, Paladin. The density of tungsten is very close to the density of gold. So a tungsten bar covered with a thin veneer of gold would pass the Archimedes test for gold.

As a side note, there was a Chinese company selling such tungsten bars as a “novelty item” a few years back.

I don’t know if they’re still in business. But the “novelty item” thing was just a cover. They were selling their bars so that the buyers could later commit fraud.

[Navy Patriot]

W is too close in density.

I believe you are correct, testing equipment required is very high tech and very hard to use for absolute certainty.

Certainty would require destructive methods.