Where Is Gold Found On The Periodic Table?

Gold's location on the periodic table of the elements.
Gold's location in the periodic table of the elements. Todd Helmenstine
By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on July 07, 2018

 Gold is the element with the symbol Au on the periodic table.

Where Is Gold Found On The Periodic Table?

Gold is the 79th element on the periodic table. It is located in period 6 and group 11.

Essential Gold Facts

These are crystals of pure gold metal.
These are crystals of pure gold metal. Alchemist-hp, Creative Commons License

Like other transition metals, gold is in the middle of the periodic table. It is the only metal that has a distinctive yellow metallic appearance in pure form, although there are other elements that oxidize to develop a golden tint.

While most metals are hard, pure gold is actually quite soft. The metal is easily drawn into a wire (ductile), hammered (malleable), and is one of the best conductors of heat and electricity.

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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Where Is Gold Found On The Periodic Table?" ThoughtCo, Aug. 25, 2020, thoughtco.com/finding-gold-on-the-periodic-table-607644. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 25). Where Is Gold Found On The Periodic Table? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/finding-gold-on-the-periodic-table-607644 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Where Is Gold Found On The Periodic Table?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/finding-gold-on-the-periodic-table-607644 (accessed February 8, 2023).