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Why does gold have a yellow color?

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A diagram showing the periodic table entry for gold, with the symbol Au, atomic number 79, atomic weight 196.96657, electron configuration, and labels for its properties as a solid transition metal with a face-centered cubic crystal structure. — gold The precious metal gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au. Its square on the periodic table details some of its properties, including its atomic weight, atomic number, and crystal structure.

The characteristic yellow color of gold is a result of its electronic structure. Specifically, gold atoms absorb electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than 5600 angstroms, while they reflect wavelengths longer than 5600 angstroms, which corresponds to the yellow portion of the light spectrum.1