99.99% Gallium Metal
Gallium as a simple substance in its pure form is a brittle
silvery-white metal. Its most important feature is that gallium melts at
a temperature of 29.76 ° C, so it can be melted in warm water, on a
battery and even in your hand!
Although gallium is only third in the world of metals in terms of
fusibility, it is the only metal that can be safely held liquid in the
palm of your hand: mercury (first place, mp -38.83 ° C) is very toxic,
cesium (second place, melting point 28.6 ° C) is so reactive that it
ignites in air.
Another interesting physical property of gallium is the boiling point of
2204 ° C, which means that gallium is in liquid form over a very wide
range of temperatures, thus finding use in high-temperature
thermometers. At the same time, gallium practically does not evaporate
at room temperature (and at 100 degrees too): it is
4.520.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000 times less volatile than water
and 390.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000 times less volatile than mercury
(calculated based on vapor pressure at 30 ° C)
The low melting point, relatively low chemical activity and very low
volatility of gallium on the one hand and the external similarity with
other metals on the other hand make it possible to use gallium for
tricks. In addition to the aforementioned ability of the metal to melt
in the hand, its almost instantaneous melting in hot water can also be
used very effectively: a teaspoon is made from gallium and allowed to
stir hot tea with it. As you might guess, the spoon melts and flows down
to the bottom of the glass
.
.
Gallium as a simple substance in its pure form is a brittle
silvery-white metal. Its most important feature is that gallium melts at
a temperature of 29.76 ° C, so it can be melted in warm water, on a
battery and even in your hand!
Although gallium is only third in the world of metals in terms of
fusibility, it is the only metal that can be safely held liquid in the
palm of your hand: mercury (first place, mp -38.83 ° C) is very toxic,
cesium (second place, melting point 28.6 ° C) is so reactive that it
ignites in air.
Another interesting physical property of gallium is the boiling point of
2204 ° C, which means that gallium is in liquid form over a very wide
range of temperatures, thus finding use in high-temperature
thermometers. At the same time, gallium practically does not evaporate
at room temperature (and at 100 degrees too): it is
4.520.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000 times less volatile than water
and 390.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000 times less volatile than mercury
(calculated based on vapor pressure at 30 ° C)
The low melting point, relatively low chemical activity and very low
volatility of gallium on the one hand and the external similarity with
other metals on the other hand make it possible to use gallium for
tricks. In addition to the aforementioned ability of the metal to melt
in the hand, its almost instantaneous melting in hot water can also be
used very effectively: a teaspoon is made from gallium and allowed to
stir hot tea with it. As you might guess, the spoon melts and flows down
to the bottom of the glass
.
.