79Au196.97

Gold (Au) – element 79

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and atomic number 79. It is a transition metal in group 11, period 6 of the periodic table (d-block), and is a solid at room temperature.

Gold (Au) has atomic number 79, atomic mass 196.97 u and electron configuration [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1.

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Gold facts

SymbolAu
Atomic number79
Atomic mass196.97 u (g/mol)
Categorytransition metal
Groupgroup 11
Period6
Blockd-block
Phase at 20 °CSolid
Electron configuration1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s1 4f14 5d10
Noble-gas notation[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1
Electrons per shell2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1

Bohr model and shells

Au

Gold has 79 electrons in 6 shells: 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1. Full configuration and noble-gas notation are in the table; work out any element or ion with the electron configuration calculator.

Physical and atomic properties

Melting point1337.33 K (1064.2 °C)
Boiling point3243 K (2969.8 °C)
Density19.3 g/cm³
Electronegativity (Pauling)2.54
Electron affinity222.747 kJ/mol
Ionization energies890.1, 1980 kJ/mol (1st, 2nd)
Molar heat capacity25.418 J/(mol·K)
Discovered byMiddle East

Use the atomic mass in the molar mass calculator for any formula containing Au.

Position in the periodic table

HydrogenHHeliumHeLithiumLiBerylliumBeBoronBCarbonCNitrogenNOxygenOFluorineFNeonNeSodiumNaMagnesiumMgAluminiumAlSiliconSiPhosphorusPSulfurSChlorineClArgonArPotassiumKCalciumCaScandiumScTitaniumTiVanadiumVChromiumCrManganeseMnIronFeCobaltCoNickelNiCopperCuZincZnGalliumGaGermaniumGeArsenicAsSeleniumSeBromineBrKryptonKrRubidiumRbStrontiumSrYttriumYZirconiumZrNiobiumNbMolybdenumMoTechnetiumTcRutheniumRuRhodiumRhPalladiumPdSilverAgCadmiumCdIndiumInTinSnAntimonySbTelluriumTeIodineIXenonXeCesiumCsBariumBaLanthanumLaCeriumCePraseodymiumPrNeodymiumNdPromethiumPmSamariumSmEuropiumEuGadoliniumGdTerbiumTbDysprosiumDyHolmiumHoErbiumErThuliumTmYtterbiumYbLutetiumLuHafniumHfTantalumTaTungstenWRheniumReOsmiumOsIridiumIrPlatinumPtGoldAuMercuryHgThalliumTlLeadPbBismuthBiPoloniumPoAstatineAtRadonRnFranciumFrRadiumRaActiniumAcThoriumThProtactiniumPaUraniumUNeptuniumNpPlutoniumPuAmericiumAmCuriumCmBerkeliumBkCaliforniumCfEinsteiniumEsFermiumFmMendeleviumMdNobeliumNoLawrenciumLrRutherfordiumRfDubniumDbSeaborgiumSgBohriumBhHassiumHsMeitneriumMtDarmstadtiumDsRoentgeniumRgCoperniciumCnNihoniumNhFleroviumFlMoscoviumMcLivermoriumLvTennessineTsOganessonOg

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Frequently asked questions

What is the atomic mass of gold?

The atomic mass of gold is 196.97 u, so one mole of gold atoms weighs 196.97 g.

What is the electron configuration of gold?

Gold has 79 electrons: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s¹ 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰, or [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s¹ in noble-gas notation. Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1.

Is gold a metal?

Yes. Gold is a transition metal.

Where is gold on the periodic table?

Gold is in group 11, period 6, in the d-block.

Data: Periodic-Table-JSON (CC BY-SA 3.0); standard atomic weights from IUPAC (abridged). Values in brackets are the mass number of the longest-lived isotope.