Gold
TRANSITION METAL
Bohr Model: Electrons arranged in energy shells around the nucleus.
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.
Quick Facts
Atomic Number 79
Period 6
Group 11
Phase Solid
Appearance metallic yellow
About Transition Metals
Transition metals are elements with partially filled d-orbitals. They are hard, have high melting points, and often form colored compounds.
History
Discovered By Middle East
Named By Unknown
Physical Properties
Atomic Mass 196.9665695
Density 19.3 g/L
Molar Heat 25.418 J/(mol·K)
Phase Transition (Melting & Boiling Points)
Gold melts at 1337.33 K and boils at 3243 K.
Atomic Properties
Electron Config [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1
Electronegativity 2.54
Electron Affinity 222.747 kJ/mol
Ionization Energy 890.1 kJ/mol
Orbital Filling Diagram
This diagram visualizes electron configuration according to the Aufbau principle and Hund's rule.
Boxes represent orbitals (s, p, d, f), while arrows indicate electrons with spin up or down.
Electrons fill lower energy levels first and occupy orbitals singly before pairing.
Photograph
External Resources
Study Guide
Atomic Number
The number of protons in the nucleus, which defines the element.
Atomic Mass
The average mass of an atom, including protons and neutrons.
Electronegativity
A measure of how strongly an atom attracts electrons in a bond.
Ionization Energy
The energy required to remove an electron from an atom.
Electron Config
The arrangement of electrons in the atom's energy shells.