Gold

By: Samuel Belcher

The Essentials

Background Information

Atomic Structure

Isotopes and Common Compounds

Crystal Structure

Money Quotes for Gold (April 18, 2001)

Name in Other Languages

Health

Links

Sources

The Essentials

Symbol: Au from the Latin word aurum (gold).
Atomic Number: 79
Atomic Mass: 196.96655 amu
Melting Point: 1064.43 °C (1337.5801 °K, 1947.9741 °F)
Boiling Point: 2807.0 °C (3080.15 °K, 5084.6 °F)
Freezing Point: 1064.18 °C

Bonding Radius: A 1.34

Atomic Radius: A 1.79

Electronegativity: -2.54

Heat of Vaporization: kJ/mol 334.4

Heat of Fusion: kJ/mol 12.55

Specific Heat: J/gK 0.126

Number of Protons/Electrons: 79 atomic structure
Number of Neutrons: 118
Classification: Transition Metal
Crystal Structure: Cubic
Density @ 293 K: 19.32 g/cm³
Ground State Electronic Configuration: Electron config. : [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s¹

^Color:^{Yellow in mass; however, when it is finely divided it can be}^{black,
ruby, or purple.}

^Uses:^Art,^jewelry^{, artwork,
electronics, research, treatment of diseases}

Obtained From: crust of the earth, copper ores
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Background Information

Gold has been known to humans for about 5,000 years. Objects made of gold date back to as far as 2600 B.C. Gold has been used by almost all cultures for coins, jewelry and artwork. Gold is one of the ten rarest elements in the earth's crust, with an abundance of about 0.0005 parts per million. It is thought to be more abundant in the sea with about 70 million metric tons of gold dissolved in sea water and as much as 10 billion metric tons deposited on the ocean floor. However, there is currently no known method for extraction gold from seawater. Gold is found as a free metal and in telluride. Gold occurs in veins and alluvial deposits. Gold is often separated from rock and other minerals by sluicing or panning operations. Two-thirds of the world's gold output now comes from South Africa. Two-thirds of the U.S. gold production comes from South Dakota and Nevada. Gold can be recovered from ores by cyaniding amalgamating, and smelting processes. Gold is frequently refined by means of electrolysis. Most people agrees that out of all the elements, gold is the most beautiful in it's purest form. One ounce of gold can be beaten into 300 sq. ft. Gold is not very reactive. It doesn't react with oxygen, halogens, or most acids at room temperature. It is unusually ductile and malleable. These reasons make gold a wonderful metal for jewelry. Top

Atomics Structure

Number of Energy Levels: 6

First Energy Level:

Second Energy Level:

Third Energy Level:

Fourth Energy Level:

Fifth Energy Level:

Sixth Energy Level:

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Isotopes and Common Compounds

171 a/p,8.600 MeV Ir-167/Pt-170 171.0	172 4 msec a/p,7.100 MeV Ir-168/Pt-171 171.99012	173 59 msec a,6.900 MeV Ir-169 172.98639	174 120 msec a,6.782 MeV Ir-170 173.98491	175 200 msec a/EC,6.778 Ir-171/Pt-175 174.98169	176 1.25 sec a/EC,6.542 Ir-172/Pt-176 175.98024	177 1.18 sec a/EC,8.200 Ir-173/Pt-177 176.97720
178 2.6 sec a/EC,9.600 Ir-174/Pt-178 177.97595	179 7.1 sec a/EC,7.400 Ir-175/Pt-179 178.97326	180 8.1 sec a/EC,8.600 Ir-176/Pt-180 179.97240	181 11.4 sec a/EC,6.300 Ir-177/Pt-181 180.96994	182 15.6 sec a/EC,7.800 Ir-178/Pt-182 181.96961	183 42.0 sec a/EC,5.500 Ir-179/Pt-183 182.96757	184 12.0 sec a/EC,7.100 Ir-180/Pt-184 183.96757
185 4.25 min a/EC,4.710 Ir-181/Pt-185 184.96574	186 10.7 min EC,6.040 MeV Pt-186 185.96591	187 8.4 min a/EC,3.600 Ir-183/Pt-187 186.96456	188 8.84 min EC,5.300 MeV Pt-188 187.96508	189 28.7 min a/EC,2.850 Ir-185/Pt-189 188.96389	190 42.8 min a/EC,4.442 Ir-186/Pt-190 189.96469	191 3.18 hr EC,1.830 MeV Pt-191 190.96364
192 4.94 hr EC,3.516 MeV Pt-192 191.96480	193 17.65 hr EC,1.069 MeV Pt-193 192.96413	193a 3.9 sec EC,1.359 MeV Pt-193 192.96444	194 38.02 hr EC,2.492 MeV Pt-194 193.96533	195 186.10 da EC,1.220 MeV Pt-195 194.96501	196 6.183 da B-/EC,1.506 Hg-196/Pt-196 195.96655	197 100% Stable 196.96655
198 2.69517 da B-,1.372 MeV Hg-198 197.96822	199 3.139 da B-,1.702 MeV Hg-199 198.96874	200 48.4 min B-,2.240 MeV Hg-200 199.97071	201 26 min B-,1.275 MeV Hg-201 200.97165	202 28.8 sec B-,2.950 MeV Hg-202 201.97378	203 60 sec B-,2.139 MeV Hg-203 202.97515	204 39.8 sec B-,3.800 MeV Hg-204 203.97755
205 31 sec B-,3.820 MeV Hg-205 205.0	MASS abund. Halflife Particle, Energy Decay Product(s) Isotopic Mass

The most common gold compounds are auric chloride (AuCl₃) and chlorauric acid (HAuCl₄). Chorauric acid is used in photographs for toning the silver image. Gold has 46 recognized isotopes and isomers. Gold-198 has a half life of 2.7 days and is used for the treating of diseases. The 198 isotope is prepared in a colloidal form and then injected into a patient's body, where it travels to the liver. The radiation released by the isotope allows a study of the liver. Needles of gold-198 are sometimes used to treat caner. This isotope is used because it provides radiation for treatment without reacting with the body. Top

Crystal Structure

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Money Quotes for Gold (April 18, 2001)

GOLD : GOLD FIELDS LTD SP ADR (NASDAQ)			1:20 AM ET

Last Trade	4.14	Open	4.15	EPS Growth Rate	N/A
Change	+0.02	Previous Close	4.12	EPS (TTM)	0.28
% Change	+0.5%	Today's High	4.15	P/E	14.89
Last Trade	3:59 PM	Today's Low	3.96	Market Cap	1.88 Bil
Bid	3.65	52 Wk High	5.06	Shares Outstanding	453.25 Mil
Ask	4.25	52 Wk Low	2.56	Dividend	0.12
Volume	302,100	Avg Daily Vol	268,000	Yield	2.87

Company News

It was estimated that (1986) 121,000 metric tons of gold have been minded throughout history. Of that amount, 18,000 metric tons are used for industrial, research, health, and other reasons in which the metal is discarded after use. Of the remaining 103,000 metric tones, about 1/3 has been made into gold bars and held by national banks as security for national money systems. The remaining 68,000 tons are owned by private individuals in the form of jewelry, coin, artwork, or bullion. January 1996, gold was priced at about $390/troy oz. ($12.50/g).Top

Name in Other Languages

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