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Gallium does not occur as a free element in nature, but rather as gallium(III) compounds in trace amounts in zinc ores (such as sphalerite) and in bauxite. Elemental gallium is a liquid at temperatures greater than 29.76 °C (85.57 °F), and will melt in a person's hands at normal human body temperature of 37.0 °C (98.6 °F).
The chemical elements can be broadly divided into metals, metalloids, and nonmetals according to their shared physical and chemical properties.All elemental metals have a shiny appearance (at least when freshly polished); are good conductors of heat and electricity; form alloys with other metallic elements; and have at least one basic oxide.
Physically, they are shiny, brittle solids with intermediate to relatively good electrical conductivity and the electronic band structure of a semimetal or semiconductor. Chemically, they mostly behave as (weak) nonmetals, have intermediate ionization energies and electronegativity values, and amphoteric or weakly acidic oxides .
Gallium crystals. Most metals are shiny and lustrous, at least when polished, or fractured. Sheets of metal thicker than a few micrometres appear opaque, but gold leaf transmits green light. This is due to the freely moving electrons which reflect light. [1] [2]
Unless otherwise noted, this article describes the stable form of an element at standard temperature and pressure (STP). [b]While arsenic (here sealed in a container to prevent tarnishing) has a shiny appearance and is a reasonable conductor of heat and electricity, it is soft and brittle and its chemistry is predominately nonmetallic.
As a metalloid the chemistry of silicon is largely covalent in nature, noting it can form alloys with metals such as iron and copper. The common oxide of silicon (SiO 2) is weakly acidic. Germanium. Germanium is a shiny, mostly unreactive grey-white solid with a density of 5.323 g/cm 3 (about two-thirds that of iron), and is hard (MH 6.0) and ...
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Gallium is a soft, brittle metal (MH 1.5) that melts at only a few degrees above room temperature. [102] It has an unusual crystalline structure featuring mixed metallic-covalent bonding and low symmetry [102] (BCN 7 i.e. 1+2+2+2). [103] It bonds covalently in most of its compounds, [104] has an amphoteric oxide; [105] and can form anionic ...