
Gold element (Au) is in group 11 and period 6 of a periodic table. Gold is in the d-block and it is classified as a transition element on the periodic table.
There is a lot more information related to gold which is mentioned in the Information Table given below.
So let’s dive right into it!
Table of contents
- Gold element (Information Table)
- Gold element in Periodic table
- Facts about Gold
- Properties of Gold
- Uses of Gold
Gold Element (Information Table)
The important data related to gold element is given in the table below.
Appearance of gold | Yellow shiny metallic luster |
Atomic number of gold | 79 |
Symbol of gold | Au |
Atomic mass of gold | 196.97 u |
Protons, Neutrons & Electrons in gold | Protons: 79, Neutrons: 118, Electrons: 79 |
State of gold (at STP) | Solid |
Group number of gold in periodic table | 11 |
Period number of gold in periodic table | 6 |
Block of gold in periodic table | d-block |
Category of gold | Transition metal |
Bohr model or Electrons per shell or Electrons arrangement in gold | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1 |
Electron configuration of gold | [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1 |
Orbital diagram of gold | ![]() |
Electronegativity of gold (on pauling scale) | 2.54 |
Atomic radius of gold (van der Waals radius) | 166 picometers |
Density of gold | 19.3 g/cm3 |
1st ionization energy of gold | 9.226 eV |
Main isotope of gold | 197Au |
Melting point of gold | 1337 K or 1064 °C or 1947 °F |
Boiling point of gold | 3243 K or 2970 °C or 5378 °F |
Crystal structure of gold | Face Centered Cubic (FCC) |
Also see: Interactive Periodic Table (It has rotating bohr models as well as many other details of all the 118 elements in a single periodic table).
Gold element in Periodic table
The Gold element (Au) has the atomic number 79 and is located in group 11 and period 6. Gold is a metal and it is classified as a transition element.
H | He | ||||||||||||||||
Li | Be | B | C | N | O | F | Ne | ||||||||||
Na | Mg | Al | Si | P | S | Cl | Ar | ||||||||||
K | Ca | Sc | Ti | V | Cr | Mn | Fe | Co | Ni | Cu | Zn | Ga | Ge | As | Se | Br | Kr |
Rb | Sr | Y | Zr | Nb | Mo | Tc | Ru | Rh | Pd | Ag | Cd | In | Sn | Sb | Te | I | Xe |
Cs | Ba | La* | Hf | Ta | W | Re | Os | Ir | Pt | Au | Hg | Tl | Pb | Bi | Po | At | Rn |
Fr | Ra | Ac** | Rf | Db | Sg | Bh | Hs | Mt | Ds | Rg | Cn | Nh | Fl | Mc | Lv | Ts | Og |
*Ce | Pr | Nd | Pm | Sm | Eu | Gd | Tb | Dy | Ho | Er | Tm | Yb | Lu | ||||
**Th | Pa | U | Np | Pu | Am | Cm | Bk | Cf | Es | Fm | Md | No | Lr |
Facts about gold
Here are a few interesting facts about the gold element.
- The name gold came from the Latin word “aurum”. (Aurum is the Latin word for gold).
- Gold is a very ancient element and it has been known since ancient times.
- South Africa produces around 2/3rd of the total gold which makes it a leading producer of gold in the world.
- Gold is available from earth’s crust as well as ocean.
- Around 78% of the total gold is used in jewelry.
Properties of gold
Here is a list of some physical properties and chemical properties of gold.
Physical properties of gold
- Gold is the only metal that has a yellowish lustrous surface.
- Gold metal can also conduct heat and electricity.
- Gold is ductile and malleable metal.
- Gold has FCC crystal structure.
- The density of gold is 19.3 g/cm3 and its atomic mass is 196.97 amu.
- The melting point and boiling point of gold is 1337 K and 3243 K respectively.
Chemical properties of gold
- Gols is highly resistive metal and it does not corrode.
- The common oxidation states of gold are +1 and +3.
- Gold is chemically inert to most of the acids, but it dissolves in aqua regia.
- The powdered form of gold reacts with chlorine to form AuCl3. This reaction takes place at 180 °C.
- At higher temperatures, gold shows chemical reaction with highly reactive element fluorine and forms gold (III) fluoride.
Uses of gold
Here are some uses of the gold element.
- Most of the gold (around 78%) is used in making ornaments and jewelry.
- In ancient times, gold coins were used as a currency.
- Medals and trophies are also made of gold metal.
- Gold is nonallergic and hence it is also used in dentistry.
- Gold can conduct very small electric currents and hence it is also used in some electrical devices.
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