Gallium
Gallium General
| Name:Gallium | Symbol:Ga |
| Type: Metal | Atomic weight:69.723 |
| Density @ 293 K:5.907 g/cm3 | Atomic volume:11.8 cm3/mol |
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Discovered:
Gallium was discovered by Paul E. Lecoq de Boisbaudran through a spectroscope in 1875. Its now characteristic spectrum (two violet lines) identified it as a new element. De Boisbaudran later isolated gallium by electrolysis of its hydroxide in potassium hydroxide solution. The origin of the name comes from the Latin word 'Gallia', meaning France. |
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Gallium States
| State (s, l, g):solid | |
| Melting point:302.91 K (29.76 °C) | Boiling point:2673 K (2200 °C) |
Gallium Energies
| Specific heat capacity:0.37 J g-1 K-1 | Heat of atomization:277 kJ mol-1 |
| Heat of fusion:5.590 kJ mol-1 | Heat of vaporization :258.70 kJ mol-1 |
| 1st ionization energy:578.8 kJ mol-1 | 2nd ionization energy:1979.3 kJ mol-1 |
| 3rd ionization energy:2963 kJ mol-1 | Electron affinity:41 kJ mol-1 |
Gallium Oxidation & Electrons
| Shells:2,8,18,3 | Electron configuration:[Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p1 |
| Minimum oxidation number:0 | Maximum oxidation number:3 |
| Min. common oxidation no.:0 | Max. common oxidation no.:3 |
| Electronegativity (Pauling Scale):1.81 | Polarizability volume:8.1 Å3 |
Gallium Appearance & Characteristics
| Structure:orthorhombic | Color:silvery-blue |
| Hardness:1.5 mohs | |
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Harmful effects:
Gallium is considered to be non-toxic. |
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Characteristics:
Gallium is a silvery, glass-like, soft metal. It sits close to the non-metals in the periodic table and its metallic properties aren't as obviously metallic as most other metals. Solid gallium is brittle and is a poorer electrical conductor than lead. Uses: Low melting gallium alloys are used in some medical thermometers as non-toxic substitutes for mercury. |
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Gallium Reactions
| Reaction with air:mild, ⇒ Ga2O3 | Reaction with 6 M HCl:mild, ⇒ H2, GaCl3 |
| Reaction with 15 M HNO3: | Reaction with 6 M NaOH: mild,⇒ H2, [Ga(OH4)]2- |
Gallium Compounds
| Oxide(s):Ga2O3 | Chloride(s):GaCl, Ga2Cl6 |
| Hydride(s):GaH3 |
Gallium Radius
| Atomic radius:135 pm | Ionic radius (1+ ion):pm |
| Ionic radius (2+ ion):pm | Ionic radius (3+ ion): 76 pm |
| Ionic radius (2- ion):pm | Ionic radius (1- ion):pm |
Gallium Conductivity
| Thermal conductivity:40.6 W m-1 K-1 | Electrical conductivity:1.8 x 106 S m-1 |
Gallium Abundance & Isotopes
| Abundance earth's crust:19 parts per million by weight, 5.5 parts per million by moles | |
| Abundance solar system:40 parts per billion by weight, 0.6 parts per billion by moles | |
| Cost, pure:$220 per 100g | |
| Cost, bulk:$ per 100g | |
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Source:
Gallium does not exist free in nature and there are no minerals with any substantial gallium content. Commercially, most gallium is extracted as a byproduct of aluminum and zinc production. Gallium is also extracted from the flue dusts of coal. |
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Isotopes:
Gallium has 24 isotopes whose half-lives are known, with mass numbers 61 to 84. Of these, two are stable: 69Ga and 71Ga with natural abundances of 60.1% and 39.9% respectively. |
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Gallium Other
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Other:
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