Thewizzard1

Changes to 'Color' Section

(Please excuse my lack of proper syntax- I'm new to Wikipedia)

Section reads as follows:

The color of pure gold is metallic yellow. Gold, caesium and copper are the only metallic elements with a natural color other than gray or white. The usual gray color of metals depends on their "electron sea" that is capable of absorbing and re-emitting photons over a wide range of frequencies. Gold reacts differently, depending on subtle relativistic effects that affect the orbitals around gold atoms.[4][5]

and is incorrect: Caesium is colored only in the presense of oxygen, and osmium (and zinc to a lesser extent) have a natural blue hue, when pure and free of contaminants.

Should read, corrected, as follows:

The color of pure gold is metallic yellow. Gold, osmium and copper are the only metallic elements with a natural color other than gray or white. The usual gray color of metals depends on their "electron sea" that is capable of absorbing and re-emitting photons over a wide range of frequencies. Gold reacts differently, depending on subtle relativistic effects that affect the orbitals around gold atoms.[4][5]

Thewizzard1 (talk) 04:29, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

Thank you. I quickly rewrote that part my way, but welcome further corrections. It is not easy to explain this topic in a few words. Materialscientist (talk) 05:01, 10 March 2010 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Dc987 (talk • contribs)

Plus, I'm not sure I believe you about cesium, as I've never seen a sample which isn't somewhat golden, and the color has been explained by relativistic quantum chemistry effects. It's all very well to say it's oxygen, but somewhere you have to have a photo of cesium which is silver. Where is it? SBHarris 05:17, 14 April 2010 (UTC)