What is the electron configuration of gold?
Answer 1:
\([\mathrm{Xe}] 4 \mathrm{f}^{14} 5 \mathrm{~d}^{10} 6 \mathrm{~s}^{1}\)
Explanation:
As you can see, the nearest noble gas to gold without going over, is xenon (Xe). The reason \(‘[Xe]’\) appears in the noble gas electronic configuration is because they both share the same electron configuration (although for good, its part of it).
Answer 2:
With an atomic number of \(79, \mathrm{Au}\) has a configuration of…
and not \(5 d^{9} 6 s^{2}\).
It has a xenon core, plus a \(4f\) outer core. Surprisingly enough, due to scalar relativistic effects (gold’s \(1s\) electron moves at \(57.7%\) the speed of light), its \(6s\) electron contracts and its \(5d\) and \(4f\) orbitals expand, so that despite having one valence electron, gold is not very reactive.