Au
Transition metal
Gold
Z 79A 197mass 196.97
Atomic model
tap a particleEvery nucleon is drawn individually — 79 protons and 118 neutrons packed into the nucleus, with 79 electrons on shells outside.
79+1
Protons
Set the element — change this and it becomes a different atom.
1180
Neutrons
Change only these and you get a different isotope of the same element.
79−1
Electrons
Sit outside the nucleus and decide the chemistry, not the element.
Element data
- Nucleons
- 197 (79 p + 118 n)
- Electron shells
- 2 · 8 · 18 · 32 · 17 · 2
- Valence shell
- 2 electrons
- Atomic mass
- 196.97 u
Stability
Gold has no measured radioactive isotope in this lab — its nuclei are stable, so decay must be shown as an illustration.
Open the decay lab