Gallium
Gallium is a chemical element with symbol Ga and atomic number 31. Elemental gallium does not occur in free form in nature, but as the gallium(III) compounds that are in trace amounts in zinc ores and in bauxite. Gallium is a soft, silvery metal, and elemental gallium is a brittle solid at low temperatures, and melts at 29.76 °C (85.57 °F) (slightly above room temperature).
A stylized shell model. Electrons are quantum objects, not particles following these literal paths. Sizes and motion are illustrative.
18 is the [Ar] core total across three shells.
At a glance
- Atomic number
- 31
- Atomic mass
- 69.7231 u
- Phase
- Solid
- Density
- 5.91 g/cm³
- Melting point
- 302.9146 K
- Boiling point
- 2,673 K
- First ionization energy
- 578.8 kJ/mol
- Electronegativity
- 1.81
- Electron affinity
- 41 kJ/mol
- Molar heat capacity
- 25.86 J/(mol·K)
- Period
- 4
- Appearance
- silver-white
Conditions and isotopes affect measured properties. Some properties of short-lived elements are predicted. Electronegativity uses the Pauling scale.
Keep exploring
Explore the stories, imagery, and reference data in more depth. Properties with no value in the reference are marked unavailable.