Gallium is a trickster metal. It melts at 29.76°C — the warmth of your palm turns it into a liquid drop. But it boils at 2,400°C — the widest liquid range of any element. A spoon made of gallium dissolves in a cup of hot tea — a classic chemistry prank.
But gallium's real superpower is in electronics. Gallium nitride (GaN) is the basis of blue and white LEDs, which won the 2014 Nobel Prize. And gallium arsenide (GaAs) converts sunlight to electricity at over 30% efficiency — that's why it's on every space station.
Mendeleev predicted gallium 4 years before its discovery. In 1871, he described 'eka-aluminium' with precise mass and density. In 1875, Lecoq de Boisbaudran found the element spectroscopically — and all the numbers matched. This was a triumph for the periodic law.
Gallium, like water, expands when freezing — a rare property among metals. So liquid gallium can't be stored in glass: when it freezes, it'll shatter the container.
Metallic gallium is low-toxicity and safe with brief skin contact. But it 'eats' aluminum — destroys its crystal structure. Gallium vapors and some compounds (GaAs, GaCl₃) are toxic and require ventilation. Liquid gallium stains surfaces and is hard to remove.
Gallium melts at 29.76°C — from body warmth. But boils at 2,400°C — the widest liquid range of any element.
Mendeleev predicted gallium as 'eka-aluminium' 4 years before its discovery. Mass, density, melting point — everything matched.
The 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics — for blue LEDs based on gallium nitride (GaN). They made white LED bulbs possible.
Gallium arsenide converts sunlight to electricity at over 30% efficiency. All solar panels on the ISS are GaAs.
Gallium expands when freezing — like water. A rare property among metals. When it freezes, it'll crack a glass container.
| Isotope | Mass (u) | Abundance | Half-life | Decay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
69Ga | 68.925574 | 60.11% | stable | — |
71Ga | 70.924701 | 39.89% | stable | — |
Spectroscopic analysis of sphalerite