Period 6 element also dissolves in alkaline solutions of cyanide, which have been used in mining. Gold dissolves in mercury, forming amalgam alloys. Gold is insoluble in nitric acid, which dissolves silver and base metals, a property that has long been used to confirm the presence of gold in items, giving rise to the term "the acid test." Gold has been a valuable and highly sought-after precious metal for coinage, jewelry, and other arts since long before the beginning of recorded history. Gold standards have been a common basis for monetary policies throughout human history, later being supplanted by fiat currency starting in
Acid–base reaction chemistry. The ECW model is quantitative model that describes and predicts the strength of Lewis acid base interactions, −Δ"H". The model assigned "E" and "C" parameters to many Lewis acids and bases. Each acid is characterized by an "E" and a "C". Each base is likewise characterized by its own "E" and "C". The "E" and "C" parameters refer, respectively, to the electrostatic and covalent contributions to the strength of the bonds that the acid and base will form. The equation is The "W" term represents a constant energy contribution for acid–base reaction such as the cleavage of a dimeric