Element 79 · Gold (Au)

Gold Bohr model: diagram and electrons per shell

The gold Bohr model shows a gold atom (Au) as a small nucleus with its electrons circling it in 6 shells: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 18 in shell O and 1 in shell P. This page has a rotating 3D gold Bohr model, a flat diagram, a table of the electrons in each shell and the steps to draw it yourself.

Rotate the gold Bohr model in 3D

Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom.

This is a Bohr model of gold (Au), a simplified picture of a single gold atom. Its nucleus holds 79 protons, and a neutral gold atom has 79 electrons, arranged around it in 6 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 18 in shell O and 1 in shell P).

Au K · 21s² L · 82s² 2p⁶ M · 183s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ N · 324s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ O · 185s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ P · 16s¹

Gold Bohr model diagram

Bohr model diagram of gold: a nucleus of 79 protons with 79 electrons on 6 shells, 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 18 in shell O and 1 in shell P, each ring labelled with its shell letter. — The gold Bohr model drawn flat: each ring is a shell, labelled with its letter, and every dot is an electron (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 18 in shell O and 1 in shell P).

Gold electrons per shell

A neutral gold atom has 79 electrons, one for each of its 79 protons. They fill the shells from the nucleus outwards: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 18 in shell O and 1 in shell P.

Electrons in each shell of the gold Bohr model
Shell	Shell number (n)	Electrons	Most it can hold (2n²)	Subshells
K	1	2	2	1s²
L	2	8	8	2s² 2p⁶
M	3	18	18	3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰
N	4	32	32	4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴
O	5	18	50	5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰
P	6	1	72	6s¹

How the gold Bohr model builds up, shell by shell

Watch the gold Bohr model come together: the nucleus first, then each shell in turn, from the innermost outwards, with its electrons joining the ring. The legend names every shell and counts its electrons, so you can read off the arrangement (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 18 in shell O and 1 in shell P) as it forms.

Animation of the gold Bohr model being built: a nucleus of 79 protons appears first, then each shell grows in around it and takes its electrons, giving 79 electrons on 6 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 18 in shell O and 1 in shell P). — The gold Bohr model built up in six seconds: the nucleus first, then each shell with its electrons, ending with 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 18 in shell O and 1 in shell P. Protons are red, neutrons yellow and electrons blue.

How to draw the gold Bohr model

Find the atomic number. Gold has atomic number 79, so a neutral atom has 79 protons and 79 electrons.
Draw the nucleus. Put a circle in the centre and write Au in it. The 79 protons sit there with the neutrons.
Draw the shells. Sketch 6 shells as rings around the nucleus. A shell holds at most 2n² electrons: 2 in the first, 8 in the second, 18 in the third and 32 in the fourth.
Place the electrons. Fill from the inside out: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 32 in shell N, 18 in shell O and 1 in shell P.
Check the total. 2 + 8 + 18 + 32 + 18 + 1 = 79, the atomic number, so every electron is accounted for.

Atomic data for the gold Bohr model

The numbers behind the gold Bohr model, grouped by topic. Radii are in picometres (pm) and energies in kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).

Identity

Symbol: Au
Atomic number: 79
Atomic mass: 196.9666 u
Family: Transition Metals
Position: group 11, period 6
Block: d-block

Electron configuration

Full: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s¹ 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰
Shorthand: [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s¹
Electrons per shell: 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1
Outer-shell electrons: 1 in shell P

Ionisation energies

I₁: 890.1
I₂: 1980

Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). A sharp jump means the next electron comes from an inner shell.

Atomic radii

Calculated (pm): 174
Empirical (pm): 135
Covalent (pm): 124
Van der Waals (pm): 166

Electronegativity and electron affinity

Electronegativity (Pauling): 2.54
Electron affinity (kJ/mol): 222.747

Oxidation states

Charges the element commonly takes in compounds.

Physical properties, abundance and history of gold

Bulk properties of gold, how common it is, who discovered it and some of its compounds.

Physical properties

Phase at room conditions: Solid
Appearance: Metallic yellow
Melting point: 1064.18°C (1337.33 K)
Boiling point: 2969.85°C (3243 K)
Density: 19.3 g/cm³
Thermal conductivity (W/m·K): 318
Specific heat (J/g·K): 0.129
Molar heat capacity (J/mol·K): 25.418
Heat of fusion (kJ/mol): 12.68
Heat of vaporisation (kJ/mol): 340

Abundance

Earth's crust (mg/kg): 0.004
Oceans (mg/L): 0

Discovery

Discovered by: Middle East
Year: Ancient

Common compounds

Gold Au
Aurothioglucose C6H11AuO5S
Auranofin C20H34AuO9PS
Gold Sodium Thiomalate C4H3AuNa2O4S
Gold trichloride AuCl3
Sodium tetrachloroaurate AuCl4Na
Tetrachloroauric acid AuCl4H
Gold tribromide AuBr3

Compounds listed in the PubChem database.

Main isotopes of gold

Isotopes of gold share the same 79 protons but differ in neutrons. Natural isotopes come first, then the longest-lived others.

Main isotopes of gold: mass number, abundance, half-life and decay
Mass number	Natural abundance	Half-life	Decay
194	–	38.02 h	β⁺
195	–	186.01 d	EC
196	–	6.165 d	β⁺, β⁻
197	100 %	stable	–
198	–	2.695 d	β⁻
199	–	3.139 d	β⁻

α = alpha decay, β⁻ = beta-minus, β⁺ = beta-plus, EC = electron capture, SF = spontaneous fission, p / n = proton / neutron emission.

More about gold

Gold on the periodic table – properties, isotopes, uses and the full gold page.
Transition Metals – all transition metal elements and their trends.
Bohr model of every element – the Bohr model of all 118 elements.