Gallium (Ga)
Gallium is a soft metal that melts just above room temperature. It is used in semiconductors and LEDs.
Properties of Gallium
- Atomic number
- 31
- Category
- Post-Transition Metal
- Atomic mass
- 69.723 u
- Electron configuration
- [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p¹
- Melting point
- 302.91 K (29.76 °C)
- Boiling point
- 2673 K (2399.85 °C)
- Density
- 5.907 g/cm³
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.81
- Appearance
- Silvery-blue metal
- Discovered by
- Lecoq de Boisbaudran (1875)
Facts about Gallium
- Gallium melts in your hand because its melting point is only 29.7°C!
- You can make a spoon out of gallium that melts when you stir hot tea!
- Gallium is used to make the LEDs in your phone and TV screen!
- Gallium was predicted by Mendeleev before it was discovered!