Gallium
By: Chebet Buckner
Basic Information
- Has 31 protons.
- Has 31 electrons when balanced.
- It has 30 isotopes, but only 2 are stable: gallium-69 and gallium-71. Two other isotopes are utilized by humans and they are gallium-67 and gallium-68.
Gallium in it's Liquid State
Gallium's Square on the Periodic Table
Lights Made With Gallium
Electron Configuration
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p1
Physical Properties
- In it's liquid form it sticks to wet glass and other similar surfaces.
- Pure gallium has a brilliant silvery color.
- One of the few metals that is liquid at room temperature.
- It is soft enough to be cut with a knife.
- Brittle when completely solid.
- It's melting temperature is so low that it melts when held in a human hand (29.8 C)
Melting gallium key on hand time lapse
Chemical Properties
- Nonreactive towards air and water at room temperature.
- Has an electronegativity of 1,81
- Not flammable
- Will tarnish in moist air
- Corrosive to aluminum
Gallium Induced Structural Failure of a Coke Can
Examples of Chemical Reactions With a Non-Metal
Gallium nitride is formed when gallium chemically reacts with nitrogen (N). A crystal is formed, which allows it to have many applications. For example, the compound is used to read Blu-ray Discs.
Fun Facts!
- Some alloys are used in thermometers to replace mercury.
- Its' name comes from the Latin word "gallia", meaning France.
- It is used to produce blue or violet LED's.
- The element has to be extracted in trace amounts from other elements since it doesn't occur naturally on it's own.
- Ions of gallium can be used as antibiotics.
- A gram of gallium can be bought for $3.
- Gallium is widely used in many electronics.
- Gallium is used in nuclear weapons. It is combined with plutonium because it stabilizes the plutonium and protects the plutonium from corrosion.