human
Using your knowledge of the periodic table, determine the atomic number and electron configuration for the element with the chemical symbol Au, which is also known as gold.
gpt
Gold, represented by the chemical symbol Au, is a highly valued and sought-after precious metal, known for its lustrous appearance and malleability. Within the periodic table, gold is classified as a transition metal and is situated in Group 11, Period 6. It has an atomic number of 79, which signifies the presence of 79 protons within the nucleus of a gold atom.

The electron configuration of an element refers to the distribution of its electrons across various energy levels and subshells. For gold, the electron configuration is as follows:

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s¹ 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰

This configuration demonstrates that gold's electrons occupy several principal energy levels (n=1 to n=6) and various subshells (s, p, d, and f). The superscripts indicate the number of electrons within each subshell. Gold's outermost electron, which plays a significant role in its chemical behavior, resides in the 6s subshell.