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Understanding the element
Gold (Au) is chemical element 79. It belongs to the transition metals, and its reference state at room temperature is a solid. Those basic facts are a useful starting point for its chemistry and applications.
Where do we encounter it?
In practice, it turns up most often in jewellery, electronics and space technology.
jewelleryelectronicsspace technology
Standard atomic weight196.966570(4)
What its position in the table tells us
Gold sits in period 6, group 11 and the D block. That location is useful because neighbouring elements often share trends in valence electrons, oxidation states and bonding behaviour.
Worth remembering
Gold has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Gold has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses