#79 / 118
79Au196.97
Transition Metalssolid at STPD-block

Gold

Group: 11•Period: 6•Standard Atomic Weight: 196.97 u
Open Full Periodic TableView Bohr Model

Why is Gold in this position?

Understanding the scientific rationale behind Gold's position in the periodic table:

Group Assignment
Group 11

Belongs to Group 11 (Coinage metals) because it has 11 valence electrons (5d¹⁰ 6s¹).

Period Assignment
Period 6

Belongs to Period 6 because its outermost electron occupies n=6.

Orbital Block
D-block

Belongs to the d-block because its valence electrons fill 5d orbitals.

Chemical Category
Transition Metals

Classified as a transition metal and the most noble metal in chemistry.

Atomic Structure & Bohr Shell Model

Shell Distribution: [2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1]

Bohr Atomic Shell Model(2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1)

Hover or tap any shell orbit ring to inspect electron counts and 2n² capacities.

79 Protons (p⁺)118 Neutrons (n⁰)
KShell K: Electron 1 of 2Shell K: Electron 2 of 2LShell L: Electron 1 of 8Shell L: Electron 2 of 8Shell L: Electron 3 of 8Shell L: Electron 4 of 8Shell L: Electron 5 of 8Shell L: Electron 6 of 8Shell L: Electron 7 of 8Shell L: Electron 8 of 8MShell M: Electron 1 of 18Shell M: Electron 2 of 18Shell M: Electron 3 of 18Shell M: Electron 4 of 18Shell M: Electron 5 of 18Shell M: Electron 6 of 18Shell M: Electron 7 of 18Shell M: Electron 8 of 18Shell M: Electron 9 of 18Shell M: Electron 10 of 18Shell M: Electron 11 of 18Shell M: Electron 12 of 18Shell M: Electron 13 of 18Shell M: Electron 14 of 18Shell M: Electron 15 of 18Shell M: Electron 16 of 18Shell M: Electron 17 of 18Shell M: Electron 18 of 18NShell N: Electron 1 of 32Shell N: Electron 2 of 32Shell N: Electron 3 of 32Shell N: Electron 4 of 32Shell N: Electron 5 of 32Shell N: Electron 6 of 32Shell N: Electron 7 of 32Shell N: Electron 8 of 32Shell N: Electron 9 of 32Shell N: Electron 10 of 32Shell N: Electron 11 of 32Shell N: Electron 12 of 32Shell N: Electron 13 of 32Shell N: Electron 14 of 32Shell N: Electron 15 of 32Shell N: Electron 16 of 32Shell N: Electron 17 of 32Shell N: Electron 18 of 32Shell N: Electron 19 of 32Shell N: Electron 20 of 32Shell N: Electron 21 of 32Shell N: Electron 22 of 32Shell N: Electron 23 of 32Shell N: Electron 24 of 32Shell N: Electron 25 of 32Shell N: Electron 26 of 32Shell N: Electron 27 of 32Shell N: Electron 28 of 32Shell N: Electron 29 of 32Shell N: Electron 30 of 32Shell N: Electron 31 of 32Shell N: Electron 32 of 32OShell O: Electron 1 of 18Shell O: Electron 2 of 18Shell O: Electron 3 of 18Shell O: Electron 4 of 18Shell O: Electron 5 of 18Shell O: Electron 6 of 18Shell O: Electron 7 of 18Shell O: Electron 8 of 18Shell O: Electron 9 of 18Shell O: Electron 10 of 18Shell O: Electron 11 of 18Shell O: Electron 12 of 18Shell O: Electron 13 of 18Shell O: Electron 14 of 18Shell O: Electron 15 of 18Shell O: Electron 16 of 18Shell O: Electron 17 of 18Shell O: Electron 18 of 18PShell P: Electron 1 of 1AuZ = 79

Educational Note: This Niels Bohr planetary model visually illustrates principal quantum energy shells ($n=1, 2, 3\dots$) and electron counts. In modern quantum mechanics (Schrödinger model), electrons do not orbit in fixed circular planetary tracks, but exist as 3D probability clouds (orbitals: $s, p, d, f$) governed by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.

Electron Shell Filling Breakdown

Shell K (n=1):2 / 2 electrons (100%)
Shell L (n=2):8 / 8 electrons (100%)
Shell M (n=3):18 / 18 electrons (100%)
Shell N (n=4):32 / 32 electrons (100%)
Shell O (n=5):18 / 50 electrons (36%)
Shell P (n=6):1 / 72 electrons (1%)
Aufbau Electron Configuration
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s¹

Neutral ground state configuration. Valence electrons: 11.

Atomic & Quantum Properties

Electronegativity (Pauling)2.54 Pauling
1st Ionization Energy890.1 kJ/mol
Electron Affinity-222.8 kJ/mol
Atomic Radius (empirical)174 pm
Common Oxidation States+3, +1
Crystal StructureFCC

Physical & Thermal Properties

Density at STP19.30 g/cm³
Melting Point1064.18 °C (1337.33 K)
Boiling Point2970 °C (3243 K)
Magnetic OrderingDiamagnetic
Discovery YearAncient
Discovered ByKnown since prehistoric antiquity (~6000 BC)

Real-World Uses, Occurrence & Compounds

Major Industrial & Everyday Uses
  • Fine jewelry, central bank reserve bullion, and international currency store of value
  • Corrosion-proof wire bonding and contacts in microchips and smartphones
  • Astronaut helmet visor gold reflective coatings reflecting infrared heat and UV radiation
  • Colloidal gold nanoparticle rapid medical diagnostics (pregnancy and malaria test strips)
Occurrence in Nature

Occurs predominantly as pure native elemental gold nuggets in hydrothermal veins and alluvial placer river gravels.

Etymology & Name Origin

From Proto-Germanic 'gulthą' (yellow); symbol Au from Latin 'aurum' meaning shining dawn

Important Chemical Compounds
HAuCl₄ (Chloroauric acid)
AuCl₃ (Gold trichloride)
Au₂O₃ (Gold trioxide)
Interesting Chemical Facts
  • • Gold is yellow because of Einstein's special relativity: relativistic contraction accelerates inner electrons, narrowing the 5d-to-6s energy gap and causing gold to absorb blue light while reflecting warm yellow.
  • • Gold is so ductile that a single ounce (28 grams) can be drawn into a microscopic wire over 80 kilometers (50 miles) long.
  • • Gold is so chemically noble that it does not tarnish or rust in air or water; ancient Egyptian pharaoh gold burial masks look as gleaming today as 3,000 years ago.
Safety & Handling Note

Elemental gold is completely non-toxic and bio-inert; even approved as a food additive (E175) for edible gold leaf.

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