79Au196.97
Gold
Transition metalsHard, shiny metals that conduct heat and electricity well and often form coloured compounds.
[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s¹
- Atomic number
- 79
- Atomic mass
- 196.97
- Protons
- 79
- Neutrons
- 118 (most common)
- Electrons
- 79
- Shells
- 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1
- State at 25 °C
- Solid
- Position
- Group 11, period 6
Proton (+)Neutron (0)Electron (−)
Discovered byKnown since ancient times
Gold is one of the first metals people collected, because it is found as shiny nuggets that never rust.
Did you know?
- One gram of gold can be hammered into a sheet about a square metre in size.
- It never rusts or tarnishes.
Where it's found
- Veins in quartz rock
- River sands
- The historic Kolar Gold Fields, Karnataka
What it's used for
- Jewellery
- Electronic connectors
- Astronaut visor coatings
Try it
There's no safe home experiment for Gold. Explore it with the animated atom above instead.