History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c38.s2.t1.17

v1.c38.s2.t1.17

Kauṭilya states, “The increase in density (*gaurava vṛddhi*) is increase in matter or price (*satva*) for all metals of equal volumes”³. The densities of gold, silver, copper and iron are 19.3, 10.5, 8.96 and 7.86 respectively, obviously for equal volumes of these metals, silver or copper is 2 times of gold weight and iron is 2.5 times or 3 times of gold weight, i.e.