Gallium | Chemistry

Garrison Forest School, Owings Mills, Maryland, U.S.A.

Gallium, 31, Garrison Forest School, Maryland USA

Gallium: The focus of the tile is of gallium melting in someone’s hands. A thermometer to 60 ˚F is added to show that the element is a solid at room temperature but quickly melts upon touching. One hand is wearing a rooster bracelet to show the how Lecoq (French for rooster), the man who is credited with gallium’s discovery, may have named the element after himself because the Latin word Gallus means rooster. The mirror with gallium’s atomic number represents how, when painted onto glass, gallium creates a mirror effect.

Original artwork by Garland Mooney, Garrison Forest School, Owings Mills, Maryland U.S.A.

Atomic properties*

Name:

Gallium

Symbol:

Ga

Atomic number:

31

Atomic mass:

69.72 amu

Melting point:

29.76°C

Boiling point:

2204°C

Density:

5.904g/cm³

Electronegativity:

1.81

# of Isotopes:

4

State:

Solid, but will melt slightly over 298K

Colour:

Silvery-white±

Classification:

Metallic±

* Haynes, W. M. (2011). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 91st edition: http://www.hbcponline.com/ Retrieved April 7, 2011

± Winter, M. (2010). Home of the Periodic Table. Retrieved April 8, 2011, from Web Elements: http://www.webelements.com/