Gold
| Symbol | Au |
| Atomic Number | 79 |
| Atomic Mass | 196.97 g.mol−1 |
| Discovered by | Unknown |
Chemical Properties of Gold
| Group | 11 | Melting point | 1064.18°C, 1947.52°F, 1337.33 K |
| Period | 6 | Boiling point | 2836°C, 5137°F, 3109 K |
| Block | d | Density (g cm−3) | 19.3 |
| Atomic number | 79 | Relative atomic mass | 196.97 |
| State at 20°C | Solid | Key isotopes | 197Au |
| Electron configuration | [Xe] 4f145d106s1 | CAS number | 7440-57-5 |
| ChemSpider ID | 22421 | ChemSpider is a free chemical structure database | |
What is Gold?
- Gold is a soft bright, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal with a slightly reddish yellow colour when available in mass. But when divided finely it becomes black, purple or ruby.
- Being one of the most malleable and ductile metals, 28g of gold can be beaten into 300 square feet of it.
- A major share of this soft metal is mined and is handed to us as gravels or quartz veins or pyrites deposits.
Uses of Gold
- The metal is mainly used to manufacture jewellery, glass and different parts in electronics items.
- Gold can be made into thread and used in embroidery.
- A thin layer of this metal is used on the windows of a large building for reflecting the heat of sun rays.
- Gold is also used in medicine. Its radioactive isotope Au-198 is used for the treatment of the tumour.
Properties of Gold
- Being very good conductors of heat and electricity, the metal does not get affected by air and most reagents.
- The element is corrosion resistant and is present in deposits of alluvium and veins.
- Most common gold compounds include chloroauric acid and auric chloride.
- To provide more strength to the metal, another soft metal is alloyed to it.
Certain Facts About Gold
- The metal consumes around 75 % of the jewellery across the world.
- The element is abundant on the planet at 0.03g per 1000kg background level.
- The atomic symbol of gold ‘Au’ comes from the Latin word “aurum”.
- A gold layer (thin coating) is done on astronaut helmets to protect them from UV radiation.
- The price of the metal is determined through trading in gold.
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