Gallium (Ga)
Gallium melts at about 29.8 °C — warm enough to melt in your hand.
Gallium properties
- Atomic mass
- 69.723 u
- Category
- Post-transition metal
- Group
- 13
- Period
- 4
- Block
- p-block
- State at room temp.
- Solid
- Electronegativity
- 1.81
- Melting point
- 302.91 K (29.8 °C)
- Boiling point
- 2,673 K (2,399.8 °C)
- Density
- 5.91 g/cm³
- Atomic radius
- 187 pm
- Ionization energy
- 5.999 eV
- Electron affinity
- 0.3 eV
- Radioactive
- No, has stable isotopes
- Discovered
- 1875
Gallium electron configuration
- Electron configuration
- [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p1
- Full electron configuration
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p1
- Electron shells
- 2 · 8 · 18 · 3
The electron configuration of Gallium (Ga) is [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p1. Its 31 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 3.
Protons, neutrons and electrons in Gallium
A neutral Gallium atom has 31 protons and 31 electrons. Most Gallium atoms have about 39 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 70, minus the atomic number 31.
Neutrons are approximate: atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons (isotopes). Atomic number and mass
How many valence electrons does Gallium have?
3
Gallium has 3 valence electrons in its outermost shell, shell 4. These are the electrons involved in chemical bonding.
Gallium orbital diagram
Each box is an orbital that holds up to two electrons with opposite spins (↑↓). The inner shells are the same as the noble gas in brackets. How to write electron configurations
Molar mass of Gallium
69.723 g/mol
One mole of Gallium atoms (6.022 × 10²³ atoms) has a mass of 69.723 grams. Use this value to convert between grams and moles.
Gallium facts
- Gallium melts at about 29.8 °C — warm enough to melt in your hand.
- Gallium (Ga) has atomic number 31 and is a solid at room temperature. It was discovered in 1875.
Position in the periodic table
Gallium is element 31, in period 4 and group 13 of the periodic table, in the p-block.
Uses of Gallium
Gallium is used mainly in semiconductors. Gallium nitride makes the blue and white LEDs in lighting and screens, the blue-violet lasers in Blu-ray players, and compact, efficient phone and laptop chargers. Gallium is also used in alloys that are liquid at room temperature, such as galinstan, a safer substitute for mercury in some thermometers.
Who discovered Gallium?
French chemist Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran discovered gallium in 1875 by spectroscopy, spotting two new violet lines in a sample of zinc ore. He isolated the metal by electrolysis later that year and named it after Gallia, the Latin name for France.
Where does the name come from?
Gallium comes from Gallia, the Latin name for France. Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran discovered it in 1875 and named it after his homeland, though some suspected a pun on his own name, as gallus means 'rooster' (le coq).
Same group
Compare Gallium
FAQ
What is the electron configuration of Gallium?
The electron configuration of Gallium (Ga) is [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p1. Its 31 electrons are arranged in shells as 2, 8, 18, 3.
How many protons, neutrons and electrons does Gallium have?
A neutral Gallium atom has 31 protons and 31 electrons. Most Gallium atoms have about 39 neutrons: the atomic mass rounded to 70, minus the atomic number 31.
How many valence electrons does Gallium have?
Gallium has 3 valence electrons in its outermost shell, shell 4. These are the electrons involved in chemical bonding.
What is the molar mass of Gallium?
The molar mass of Gallium is 69.723 g/mol. This is the same number as its atomic mass, 69.723 u.
Is Gallium a metal?
Yes. Gallium is a post-transition metal, so it is a metal.
Is Gallium radioactive?
Ordinary Gallium is not radioactive: it has at least one stable isotope. Like every element, it also has radioactive isotopes, most of them made in laboratories.
Where is Gallium on the periodic table?
Gallium is element 31, in period 4 and group 13 of the periodic table, in the p-block.