Gold
---
| General Properties | |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 79 |
| Atomic mass | 196.967amu |
| Atomic radius | 174pm |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1 |
| Density | 19.3g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 1064.18°C |
| Boiling point | 2970°C |
| First discovered/ developed | Ancient |
| Most common compound on Earth | Au (Pure Gold) |
---
Description and uses
Gold is the 79th element of the periodic table, and one of the oldest metals known to man. It has been used historically as a form of currency as opposed to the
less efficient bartering method, and has been around since ancient history. Its purity is measured in karats (k), with 24k being 100% pure.
Gold is the most malleable metal - it can be bent into almost any shape you want. It can be drawn into wires an atom thick, or into giant sheets while still
using a very small amount of the metal. This, on top of the fact that it neither corrodes or tarnishes (due to its extreme unreactivity) makes it the perfect
metal for electronics.
Gold's greatest use is in jewellery. This is due to its value, shine, longevity and ability to be able to be moulded into intricate and beautiful shapes. Still, it is rare to find pure gold in jewellery, as pure gold is a very soft metal, but it may be alloyed with other metals like silver or copper.
Gold has just one naturally occurring isotope: 197Au. In mediaeval alchemy, it was believed that the legendary Philosopher's Stone could turn any base metal
(like lead or mercury) into gold. More recently, mercury has been transformed into gold, but
by neutron bombardment, not a mythical stone. However, it created radioactive isotopes of gold, which quickly decayed into other elements, and it costed more
than 197Au anyway.