Gold Facts for Kids

Gold Periodic Table
  • Name: Gold
  • Symbol: Au
  • Atomic Number: 79
  • Atomic Weight: 196.96657 u
  • Period: 6
  • Group: 11

24 Gold Facts for Kids

  1. Gold is a chemical element on the periodic table.
  2. Gold was first discovered in the Middle East prior to 6000 BC.
  3. Gold is a solid at room temperature.
  4. The symbol for gold is Au.
  5. The atomic number for gold is 79.
  6. The standard atomic weight for gold is 196.96657 u.
  7. Gold is in the transition metal element category on the periodic table.
  8. Gold is a period 6 chemical element, which is the sixth row on the periodic table.
  9. Gold is a group 11 chemical element, which is the copper group.
  10. Gold has one stable isotope.
  11. The melting point for gold is 1,947 °F (1,064 °C).
  12. The boiling point for gold is 5,378 °F (2,970 °C).
  13. Pure gold is bright and is a slightly reddish yellow.
  14. Gold is considered a precious metal.
  15. Gold was used as coinage (money) in the past.
  16. Gold is used to make jewelry and art.
  17. Gold is used in electronics, like computers, to create corrosion-free electrical connectors.
  18. Gold is used for medicinal purposes, like treating certain types of cancer and dentistry (gold tooth).
  19. As of 2017, it’s estimated that over 206,000 tons of gold has been mined and is above ground.
  20. If you took all the gold above ground and made it into a perfect cube that cube would have an edge length of 68.9 feet.
  21. The value of all the gold above ground is over $10 trillion at $1,610 per troy ounce (02/2020 price).
  22. As of 2017, China is the world’s largest producer of gold.
  23. As of 2014, the largest gold mine (by production) in the world is the Muruntau mine in Uzbekistan, Asia.
  24. The word gold means yellow and comes from the Old English word “geolu”.

Additional Resources on Gold

  • Gold- RSC – Read more about Gold on the Royal Society of Chemistry website.
  • Gold – JLabs – Learn more about the gold chemical element on the Thomas Jefferson Labs website.
  • Gold – Britannica – Find more interesting facts about gold on the Britannica website.
  • Gold – Wikipedia – Discover some fun facts about gold on the Wikipedia website.

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