>Mike wrote:
>>
>> Dude, gold is a good conductor. The reason it is a good conductor is that
>> there is a single electron in the outer shell which is relatively free to
>> move
>> about under the influence of an electric field (it is the same group as
>> copper
>> and silver). Check your periodic table. Helium, Neon, etc (Noble gases)
>> have a full outer shell.
>>
>> As you know gold is pretty inert chemically, however. The reasons for this
>> are beyond my laymen's understanding of chemistry.
>>
>> 73 de Mike, W4EF...........................
>>
>> > ? My guess is that gold plating is used to reduce primary electron
>> > emission from the grid because the gold atom's outer electron shell is
>> > full. Thus, it does not easily give up or take on an electron. Gold
>> > meltballs seem to behave like they have a negative charge because they
>> > are invariably attracted to a positive anode.
>> >
>> > cheers, Steve
>
>Mike is right in that gold has one electron in its outer shell, but relating
>this to high conductivity is an oversimplification. Lithium, sodium and
>potassium all have one electron in their outer shell and are poor
>conductors.
>Aluminum has three and is a good conductor.
>
>But Rich is right in that gold is used to reduce grid electron emission, but
>because of its low work function rather than the electron configuration of
>its
>outer shell.
>
tnx for the Chemistry 101 lesson, Bert
- R. L. Measures, a.k.a. Rich..., 805.386.3734,AG6K,
www.vcnet.com/measures.
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