Au
Gold
Element 79 · Transition metal
Gold (Au)
Gold is a soft, dense, bright-yellow precious metal that never tarnishes. It has been treasured by every civilisation.
- Transition metal
- Period 6
- Group 11
- d-block
- solid at room temperature
Key properties
- Atomic mass
- 196.9666
- u
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1
- Melting point
- 1,064.2 °C
- 1,337.33 K
- Boiling point
- 2,855.9 °C
- 3,129 K
- Density
- 19.282 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- 2.54
- Pauling
- Atomic radius
- 166 pm
- van der Waals
- 1st ionisation energy
- 9.226 eV
Compare with every element:Electronegativity chartAtomic radius chartIonisation energy chartDensity chart of the elementsMelting point chartElectron configuration chart
Did you know?
Notable facts about gold
- 01
All the gold ever mined would fit in a cube about 22 metres on a side.
- 02
One gram of gold can be beaten into a sheet of about one square metre.
- 03
Much of Earth’s gold was likely forged in collisions of neutron stars.
Applications
What is gold used for?
- Jewellery and investment
- Electronics connectors
- Dentistry
- Spacecraft heat shielding
History
Discovery & name origin
Discovered by
Known since antiquity
Year
Prehistoric
Where
Known since antiquity
Name origin
Anglo-Saxon gold; the symbol Au comes from Latin aurum, “shining dawn”.
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
Atomic structure
Atomic properties
- Atomic number
- 79
- Atomic mass
- 196.9666 u
- Group
- 11
- Period
- 6
- Block
- d-block
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1
- Full configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s1 4f14 5d10
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 2.54
- Electron affinity
- 2.309 eV
- Atomic radius (van der Waals)
- 166 pm
- Stable isotopes
- 1
Oxidation states
Highlighted: common oxidation states (+3, +1).
Successive ionisation energies
Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). Big jumps show where a new, inner shell begins.
- 1st890.1
- 2nd1,980
Physical
Physical properties & colour
Physical
Physical properties & colour
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Melting point
- 1,337.33 K · 1,064.2 °C · 1,947.5 °F
- Boiling point
- 3,129 K · 2,855.9 °C · 5,172.5 °F
- Density
- 19.282 g/cm³
- Molar heat capacity
- 25.418 J/(mol·K)
- Appearance
- Metallic yellow
- CPK model colour
- Copied
The CPK colour is the convention used for this element’s atoms in molecular models.
FAQ
Gold questions
What is Au on the periodic table?
Au is the symbol for gold, element 79 on the periodic table. It sits in group 11, period 6, in the transition metal category, and has an atomic mass of 196.9666.
What is the atomic number of gold?
Gold has atomic number 79, so every gold atom has 79 protons in its nucleus. Its symbol is Au and its atomic mass is 196.9666.
Who discovered gold?
Gold has been known since antiquity (Prehistoric); no single discoverer is credited. The name comes from Anglo-Saxon gold; the symbol Au comes from Latin aurum, “shining dawn”.
What is gold used for?
Gold is used for: jewellery and investment; electronics connectors; dentistry; spacecraft heat shielding.
Is gold a metal?
Yes. Gold is a transition metal, one of the metallic elements.
What is the electron configuration of gold?
The electron configuration of gold is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1. Its 79 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1.