Gold
💍 In Your World
Gold is one of the most prized precious metals, known for its beautiful yellow luster, rarity, and resistance to tarnish. For millennia, it has been used to make coins, bullion, and fine jewelry. Because it is an excellent electrical conductor and does not corrode, it is used for critical electrical connectors in high-end electronics, computers, and aerospace applications. It is also used in dentistry for crowns and fillings.
📖 The Discovery Story
Gold is one of the seven metals of antiquity and has been known to humans since prehistoric times. No single person is credited with its discovery. Its symbol, Au, comes from its Latin name, aurum, which means "shining dawn." Gold's inertness means it can be found in nature in its pure, native form as nuggets or grains in rocks and alluvial deposits.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 1064.18 °C / 1947.52 °F |
| Boiling Point | 2856 °C / 5173 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f¹⁴5d¹⁰6s¹ |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.0000004% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Gold is one of the least reactive chemical elements. It is considered non-toxic and is so biologically inert that it is used in dentistry and even as a food decoration (gold leaf). Its compounds, however, can be toxic if ingested.