Gold

Element 79 on the periodic table, symbol Au, group 11, period 6.

Gold is a chemical element with symbol Au (from Latin: aurum) and atomic number 79. In its purest form, it is a bright, slightly reddish yellow, dense, soft, malleable and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal and a group 11 element.

Appearance: metallic yellow

Properties

Atomic Number: 79
Atomic Mass: 196.9666 u
Group: 11
Period: 6
Block: d-block
Category: Transition Metal
State at 25 °C: Solid
Melting Point: 1,337.3 K · 1,064.2 °C
Boiling Point: 3,243 K · 2,969.9 °C
Density: 19.3 g/cm³
Atomic Radius: 135 pm
Electronegativity: 2.54
Oxidation States: +1, +3
Abundance in Crust: 0.004 mg/kg
Discovered: Known since antiquity
Discovered By: Middle East

Electron Configuration

[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s1 4f14 5d10

Ionisation Energies (kJ/mol)

1. 890.1
2. 1,980

Elements near Gold

Elements in the same group share the number of outer electrons and behave in similar ways. Elements in the same period share a shell, so they change steadily from left to right.