Gallium (Ga)
"The Meltdown, a tricky hero who can liquefy in the palm of a hand to escape any situation."
A memorable persona to anchor Ga in your mind.
5.91
Grams per cm³
29.7646
Celsius (°C)
187
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
Gallium is found in the blue/violet LEDs in electronic displays.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1875
Discovered By
Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran
Origin of Name
"The name is derived from the Latin name for France, ''Gallia''"
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
69.723 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
2229°C
Electron Configuration
[Ar] 3d104s24p1
1st Ionization Energy
5.999 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"Gallium is a soft, silvery-blue metal that is liquid near room temperature."
Did You Know?
It is famous for its low melting point of 29.76 °C (85.58 °F), which means it will melt into a silvery liquid in your hand.
Despite its low melting point, it has a very high boiling point of 2400 °C (4352 °F), giving it one of the largest liquid ranges of any metal.
Gallium has the unusual property of expanding when it freezes, similar to water.
Spoons made of gallium will dramatically melt and disappear when used to stir a hot drink, making for a popular science prank.