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Compare Gold vs Copper

Comparing Gold (Au) and Copper (Cu). Atomic numbers 79 and 29 with atomic masses 196.967 u and 63.546 u, classified as transition metal and transition metal. Below: a side-by-side comparison of their physical, atomic, electron-configuration and historical properties, including density, melting and boiling points, ionization energies, oxidation states and discovery history.

vs
Au
Gold
#79
Cu
Copper
#29

Periodic properties of the elements

GoldCopper
SymbolAuCu
Atomic number7929
Group1111
Period64
Blockdd
Element categoryTransition MetalTransition Metal

Physical properties

GoldCopper
Phase at STPSolidSolid
Density19.3 g/cm38.96 g/cm3
Atomic weight196.967 u63.5463 u
Melting point1337.33 K
1064.18 °C
1947.524 °F		1357.77 K
1084.62 °C
1984.316 °F
Boiling point3243 K
2969.85 °C
5377.73 °F		2835 K
2561.85 °C
4643.33 °F

Atomic properties

GoldCopper
Electronegativity (Pauling Scale)2.541.9
Electron affinity222.747 kJ/mol119.235 kJ/mol
Oxidation states−3, −2, −1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +5
(an amphoteric oxide)		−2, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4
(a mildly basic oxide)
Ionization energies
  1. 890.1 kJ/mol
  2. 1980 kJ/mol
  1. 745.5 kJ/mol
  2. 1957.9 kJ/mol
  3. 3555 kJ/mol
  4. 5536 kJ/mol
  5. 7700 kJ/mol
  6. 9900 kJ/mol
  7. 13400 kJ/mol
  8. 16000 kJ/mol
  9. 19200 kJ/mol
  10. 22400 kJ/mol
  11. 25600 kJ/mol
  12. 35600 kJ/mol
  13. 38700 kJ/mol
  14. 42000 kJ/mol
  15. 46700 kJ/mol
  16. 50200 kJ/mol
  17. 53700 kJ/mol
  18. 61100 kJ/mol
  19. 64702 kJ/mol
  20. 163700 kJ/mol
  21. 174100 kJ/mol
  22. 184900 kJ/mol
  23. 198800 kJ/mol
  24. 210500 kJ/mol
  25. 222700 kJ/mol
  26. 239100 kJ/mol
  27. 249660 kJ/mol
  28. 1067358 kJ/mol
  29. 1116105 kJ/mol

Electron configuration

GoldCopper
Shorthand configuration[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1 [Ar] 3d10 4s1
Full configuration1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f14 5s2 5p6 5d10 6s1 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s1
Electrons per shell2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 12, 8, 18, 1

History

GoldCopper
DiscoveryLevant (6000 BC)Middle East (9000 BC)
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