Question #a0b94

1 Answer
Dec 18, 2014

There is one valence electron in an atom of gold.

The electron configuration is :

#[Xe]4f^(14)5d^(10)6s^1#

Where #[Xe]# is the configuration of xenon.

The electron in the highest energy level is a 6s electron. This is the valence electron.

Gold forms the Au(I) state though this is unstable and disproportionates to Au(III) and Au(0):

#3Au^+rarrAu^(3+)+2Au#