Gold is a malleable periodic element.
Chemical element . The properties of the chemical elements are summarized in the periodic table , which organizes the elements by increasing atomic number into rows ( `` periods '' ) in which the columns ( `` groups '' ) share recurring ( `` periodic '' ) physical and chemical properties . Gold is a chemical element with symbol Au ( from aurum ) and atomic number 79 . In its purest form , it is a bright , slightly reddish yellow , dense , soft , malleable , and ductile metal .