[Amps] TenTec Titan 425

[Bert Barry]

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. 

Bert, VE3QAA