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Ancient Gilding Methods and Their Chemical Structure Essay

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Introduction:
The article seeks to inform the reader not only about ancient gilding methods, but also about their chemical structures. The article does this by examining gilded artifacts from each gilding methodology and studying the components in the metal. The article also attempts to explain how the chemical structures in the object came about, using technology and analysis.

Main points of article:

The first paragraph sets out to explain ancient gilding and why it occurred, as well as go over what the article will discuss.
The brief history behind analyzing chemical compositions
Talks about methodologies and breakthroughs in finding chemical composition for gilding
The is paragraph explains the reasoning behind gilding and …show more content…

I enjoyed learning the methodology used in each “age” and how they got more and more complex as time went on. I was also impressed with how the article went in-depth on the chemical properties of each method.
Questions raised: What is the exact technology used to examine the objects in the article?
Why did they choose the artifacts in the article specifically?
How were they able to figure out the gilding methods?

Vocabulary list:
1. photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)- measuring the chemical composition of an object by the energy of electrons freed from the surface by a laser. (Merriam Webster)
2. secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) -A machine uses primary ions to push the ions in the object to the surface so they can be examined (Fraunhofer-Center Nanoelectronic Technologies)
3. optical emission spectrometry (GDOES)- a machine that uses emissions to examine the surface of an object. (Analyses and Surfaces)
4. scanning electron microscopy (SEM)- using an electron microscope with beaming electrons. (Merriam Webster)
5. Raman spectroscopy- a technique used by spectroscopy machines that observes low frequencies in a system/object. (University of Cambridge)
6. amalgam-a mixture or blend (Merriam Webster)
7. porosity- the property of being porous; being able to absorb fluids.(Princeton Word Net)
8. morphology- a study of structure or form (Merriam Webster)
9.atacamite-an oxychloride of copper, chemical product.(Free Dictionary)
10. patina- a

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