Gold (Au)
Element 79 · Transition metal · atomic mass 196.97 u · group 11, period 6
Electron shells: 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1
Gold's refusal to tarnish and its workability made it the universal store of value for millennia. Modern electronics use it for contacts that must never corrode.
A single gram of gold can be beaten into a sheet a square metre across.
- Atomic number
- 79
- Atomic mass
- 196.97 u
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 6s¹ 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰
- Group · period · block
- 11 · 6 · d
- Oxidation states
- +1, +3
- Electronegativity
- 2.54 (Pauling)
- Melting point
- 1,064 °C
- Boiling point
- 2,856 °C
- Density
- 19.282 g/cm³
- State at 20 °C
- Solid
- Appearance
- Soft, dense, yellow metal
- Discovered
- Known since antiquity
79 protons, and 79 electrons when neutral
IUPAC standard atomic weight
Coinage metals
What Gold is used for
- Electronic connectors and bonding wire
- Jewellery and coinage
- Dentistry
- Spacecraft thermal shielding
Atomic structure of Gold
A neutral gold atom has 79 protons and 79 electrons. Its most common isotope carries about 118 neutrons, which is where the mass number 197 comes from. Change the neutron count and you have a different isotope of gold; change the proton count and you have a different element entirely.
Those electrons fill shells from the inside out: 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1. In orbital notation that is [Xe] 6s¹ 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰. As a d-block element its valence count is variable, which is why it can form compounds in several oxidation states.
3D electron orbitals
See where Gold's electrons actually are — a cloud of 26,000 points sampled from the probability density |ψ|², not a cartoon of a lobe.
Where Gold sits in the periodic table
The d-block. Multiple stable oxidation states give them coloured compounds, catalytic ability and the strength that makes them the working metals of industry.
- Directly above: Silver — same group, so similar chemistry with a smaller atom.
- Directly below: Roentgenium — same group, one shell larger.
- One proton lighter: Platinum.
- One proton heavier: Mercury.
Discovery and naming
Gold has been known and used since antiquity, long before anyone could describe it as an element. Its name comes from Old English gold; symbol from Latin aurum, which is also why its symbol (Au) does not match its English name.
Keep exploring
Atomic weight from IUPAC/CIAAW; physical properties from PubChem (US National Library of Medicine). Values that have never been measured are shown as “not measured” rather than estimated.
Related Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the atomic mass of Gold?
The standard atomic weight of Gold is 196.97 u, as published by IUPAC's Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does Gold have?
Gold has 79 protons, because the atomic number is the proton count and that is what makes an atom Gold at all. A neutral Gold atom has the same number of electrons, 79. The neutron count varies by isotope; the most common one has about 118, since 197 − 79 = 118.
What is the electron configuration of Gold?
The electron configuration of Gold is [Xe] 6s¹ 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰. Its electrons are arranged 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1 across 6 shells.
Is Gold a metal?
Yes. Gold is classified as a transition metal, on the metallic side of the table.
What group and period is Gold in?
Gold is in group 11 (the coinage metals), period 6, in the d-block. The group is its column and the period is its row.
What is the charge of Gold?
Gold most commonly forms a 3+ or 1+ ion. Like most transition metals it has several accessible oxidation states, so the charge depends on the compound.
What is the melting point of Gold?
Gold melts at 1,064 °C and boils at 2,856 °C. That puts it in the solids at everyday temperatures.
What is Gold used for?
Electronic connectors and bonding wire, Jewellery and coinage, Dentistry, Spacecraft thermal shielding. Gold's refusal to tarnish and its workability made it the universal store of value for millennia.
Who discovered Gold, and where does its name come from?
Gold (Au) has been known and used since antiquity, long before anyone could describe it as an element. The name comes from Old English gold; symbol from Latin aurum.