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Periodic Table of Elements

Element Gold - Au

Comprehensive data on the chemical element Gold is provided on this page; including scores of properties, element names in many languages, most known nuclides of Gold. Common chemical compounds are also provided for many elements. In addition technical terms are linked to their definitions and the menu contains links to related articles that are a great aid in one's studies.

Gold Menu

• Gold Page One
  • Overview of Gold
  • Gold's Name in Other Languages
  • Atomic Structure of Gold
  • Chemical Properties of Gold
  • Physical Properties of Gold
  • Regulatory / Health
  • Who/When/Where/How
• Gold Page Two
  • Nuclides / Isotopes
  • Potential Parent Nuclides

Overview of Gold

• Atomic Number: 79
• Group: 11
• Period: 6
• Series: Transition Metals

Gold's Name in Other Languages

• Latin: Aurum
• Czech: Zlato
• Croatian: Zlato
• French: Or
• German: Gold - s
• Italian: Oro
• Norwegian: Gull
• Portuguese: Ouro
• Russian: Золото
• Spanish: Oro
• Swedish: Guld

Atomic Structure of Gold

• Atomic Radius: 1.79Å
• Atomic Volume: 10.2cm³/mol
• Covalent Radius: 1.34Å
• Cross Section (Thermal Neutron Capture)σ_a/barns: 98.7
• Crystal Structure: Cubic face centered

  

• Electron Configuration:

  1s² 2s²p⁶ 3s²p⁶d¹⁰ 4s²p⁶d¹⁰f¹⁴ 5s²p⁶d¹⁰ 6s¹

• Electrons per Energy Level: 2,8,18,32,18,1

  Shell Model
  

• Ionic Radius: 0.85Å
• Filling Orbital: 5d¹⁰
• Number of Electrons (with no charge): 79
• Number of Neutrons (most common/stable nuclide): 118
• Number of Protons: 79
• Oxidation States: 3,1
• Valence Electrons: 5d¹⁰ 6s¹

Chemical Properties of Gold

• Electrochemical Equivalent: 2.4496g/amp-hr
• Electron Work Function: 5.1eV
• Electronegativity: 2.54 (Pauling); 1.42 (Allrod Rochow)
• Heat of Fusion: 12.55kJ/mol
• Incompatibilities:

• Ionization Potential
  • First: 9.225
  • Second: 20.521
• Valence Electron Potential (-eV): 51

Physical Properties of Gold

• Atomic Mass Average: 196.9665
• Boiling Point: 3080K 2807°C 5085°F
• Coefficient of lineal thermal expansion/K^-1: 14.16E^-6
• Conductivity

  Electrical: 0.452 10⁶/cm Ω
  Thermal: 3.17 W/cmK

• Density: 19.32g/cc @ 300K
• Description:

  Soft bright yellow transition metal.

• Elastic Modulus:
  • Bulk: 171/GPa
  • Rigidity: 26/GPa
  • Youngs: 78.5/GPa
• Enthalpy of Atomization: 364 kJ/mole @ 25°C
• Enthalpy of Fusion: 12.55 kJ/mole
• Enthalpy of Vaporization: 324.4 kJ/mole
• Flammablity Class:
• Freezing Point: see melting point
• Hardness Scale
  • Brinell: 2450 MN m^-2
  • Mohs: 2.5
  • Vickers: 216 MN m^-2
• Heat of Vaporization: 334.4kJ/mol
• Melting Point: 1337.73K 1064.58°C 1948.24°F
• Molar Volume: 10.2 cm³/mole
• Optical Reflectivity: 95%
• Physical State (at 20°C & 1atm): Solid
• Specific Heat: 0.128J/gK
• Vapor Pressure = 0.000237Pa@1064.58°C

Regulatory / Health

• CAS Number
  • 7440-57-5
• OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
  • No limits set by OSHA
• OSHA PEL Vacated 1989
  • No limits set by OSHA
• NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL)
  • No limits set by NIOSH
• Levels In Humans:
  Note: this data represents naturally occuring levels of elements in the typical human, it DOES NOT represent recommended daily allowances.
  • Blood/mg dm^-3: (0.1-4.2)E^-4
  • Bone/p.p.m: 0.016
  • Liver/p.p.m: 0.0004
  • Muscle/p.p.m: n/a
  • Daily Dietary Intake: n/a
  • Total Mass In Avg. 70kg human: 0.2 mg
• Discovery Year: Unknown
• Name Origin:

  Gold from old English word geolo (yellow) Au from Latin: aurum (gold).

• Abundance of Gold:
  • Earth's Crust/p.p.m.: 0.0011
  • Seawater/p.p.m.: 0.00001
  • Atmosphere/p.p.m.: N/A
  • Sun (Relative to H=1E¹²): 5.6
• Sources of Gold:

  Found in quartz veins in in extrusive rocks, with copper ore and native metals. Around 1,400 tons are produced each year world wide. Primary mining areas are South Africa, USA, Canada and Russia.

• Uses of Gold:

  Very malleable. Used in electronics, jewelry dental crowns and coins. Supposedly around half of the world's supply of gold is stored in the United States Treasury Department's gold depository in Fort Knox Kentucky, which is considered to be one of the most secure buildings in the world.

• Additional Notes:

  Gold is poorly absorbed by the body. Gold-based anti-arthritics can cause liver and/or kidney damage.

Gold Menu

• Gold Page One
  • Overview of Gold
  • Gold's Name in Other Languages
  • Atomic Structure of Gold
  • Chemical Properties of Gold
  • Physical Properties of Gold
  • Regulatory / Health
  • Who/When/Where/How
• Gold Page Two
  • Nuclides / Isotopes
  • Potential Parent Nuclides

References

A list of reference sources used to compile the data provided on our periodic table of elements can be found on the main periodic table page.

Related Resources

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• Molar Mass Calculations and Javascript Calculator
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• Chemical Database
  This database focuses on the most common chemical compounds used in the home and industry.

Citing this page

If you need to cite this page, you can copy this text:

Kenneth Barbalace. Periodic Table of Elements - Gold - Au. EnvironmentalChemistry.com. 1995 - 2024. Accessed on-line: 12/18/2024
https://EnvironmentalChemistry.com/yogi/periodic/Au.html
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