Origin: From the French word 'Lecoq' meaning a rooster, hence the picture!!
State: One of the only four metals that are liquid at room temperature.
Toxicity: Low, but handle with care until more data is available.
History: Discovered in1875 by the French chemist Paul Émile (François) Lecoq de Boisbaudran. He was searching for the missing element between Aluminum and Indium on Mendeleyev's Periodic Table.
Interesting Fact: Mendeléev predicted and described this element, and called it ekaaluminum.
Number of Protons and Electrons: 31
Number of Neutrons: 39
Interesting Fact: Gallium has one of the longest liquid ranges of any metal and has a low vapor pressure even at high temperatures.
Crystal Structure: Orthorhombic
Uses: Gallium wets glass or porcelain and forms a brilliant mirror when it is painted on glass. It is also used in doping semiconductors and producing solid-state devices such as transistors. It can be used for very high temperature thermometers, as well as calculators, wristwatches, solar panels, and smaller and more powerful lasers.
Interesting Fact: You can buy a gram of gallium for only three dollars