Au Gold
Element Information, Facts, Properties, Trends, Uses, Comparison with other elements

The solid state structure of Gold is Face Centered Cubic.

The Crystal structure can be described in terms of its unit Cell. The unit Cells repeats itself in three dimensional space to form the structure.

Unit Cell Parameters

The unit cell is represented in terms of its lattice parameters, which are the lengths of the cell edges Lattice Constants (a, b and c)

and the angles between them Lattice Angles (alpha, beta and gamma).

The positions of the atoms inside the unit cell are described by the set of atomic positions ( x_i, y_i, z_i) measured from a reference lattice point.

The symmetry properties of the crystal are described by the concept of space groups. All possible symmetric arrangements of particles in three-dimensional space are described by the 230 space groups (219 distinct types, or 230 if chiral copies are considered distinct.

Space Group Name	Fm_ 3m
Space Group Number	225
Crystal Structure	Face Centered Cubic
Number of atoms per unit cell	4

Gold atoms have 79 electrons and the electronic shell structure is [2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1] with Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) ²S_1/2.

Atomic Number	79
Number of Electrons (with no charge)	79
Number of Protons	79
Mass Number	197
Number of Neutrons	118
Shell structure (Electrons per energy level)	2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1
Electron Configuration	[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1
Valence Electrons	5d10 6s1
Valence (Valency)	5
Main Oxidation States	1, 3
Oxidation States	-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 5
Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers)	2S1/2

Bohr Atomic Model of Gold - Electrons per energy level

n		s	p	d	f

Ground State Electronic Configuration of Gold - neutral Gold atom

Abbreviated electronic configuration of Gold

The ground state abbreviated electronic configuration of Neutral Gold atom is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1. The portion of Gold configuration that is equivalent to the noble gas of the preceding period, is abbreviated as [Xe]. For atoms with many electrons, this notation can become lengthy and so an abbreviated notation is used. This is important as it is the Valence electrons 5d10 6s1, electrons in the outermost shell that determine the chemical properties of the element.

Unabbreviated electronic configuration of neutral Gold

Complete ground state electronic configuration for the Gold atom, Unabbreviated electronic configuration

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 4f14 5d10 6s1

Electrons are filled in atomic orbitals as per the order determined by the Aufbau principle, Pauli Exclusion Principle and Hund’s Rule.

As per the Aufbau principle the electrons will occupy the orbitals having lower energies before occupying higher energy orbitals. According to this principle, electrons are filled in the following order: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p…

The Pauli exclusion principle states that a maximum of two electrons, each having opposite spins, can fit in an orbital.

Hund's rule states that every orbital in a given subshell is singly occupied by electrons before a second electron is filled in an orbital.

Atomic Structure of Gold

Gold atomic radius is 174 pm, while it's covalent radius is 144 pm.

Atomic Spectrum of Gold

The electron affinity of Gold is 222.8 kJ/mol.

Ionization Energy of Gold

Refer to table below for Ionization energies of Gold

Refer to below table for Gold Physical Properties

Elastic Properties

Hardness of Gold - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element

Gold Electrical Properties

Gold is Conductor of electricity. Refer to table below for the Electrical properties ofGold

Gold Heat and Conduction Properties

Gold Magnetic Properties

Optical Properties of Gold

Acoustic Properties of Gold

Refer to table below for Thermal properties of Gold

Enthalpies of Gold

Gold has 37 isotopes, with between 169 and 205 nucleons. Gold has 1 stable naturally occuring isotopes.

Isotopes of Gold - Naturally occurring stable Isotopes: 197Au.