======Melting Gallium in Your Hand======


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**Alternative titles:** Gallium Hand-Melting Demonstration
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Obtain a sample of pure gallium (coin-sized pieces work well).  
  - Place the gallium in the palm of your hand and allow your body heat to warm it.  
  - Wait 3–5 minutes for the gallium to melt into a shiny liquid metal.  
  - When finished, tilt your hand to pour the liquid gallium into a non-metal container.  
  - Allow the gallium to cool and crystallize, observing the crystal formation. 




====Links==== 
Science Experiments – Having Fun With Gallium - American Welding Society ®: 
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📄 How to Melt Gallium Metal in Your Hand - Thought Co: [[https://www.thoughtco.com/melt-gallium-metal-in-your-hand-607521]]\\

====Variations====
  * Use a gallium spoon and “melt” it in hot water to perform a science magic trick.


====Safety Precautions====
  * Wash hands thoroughly after handling gallium.  
  * Gallium wets skin and glass, leaving a gray residue that can be hard to wash off. Wearing gloves is optional but recommended.  
  * Do not allow gallium to contact jewelry or metal containers—it can damage them.  
  * Store gallium in plastic or flexible containers since it expands upon cooling.  
  * Do not ingest gallium or use it near food or drink.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why does gallium melt in your hand but not at room temperature? (Its melting point is just above room temperature, so body heat provides enough energy to melt it.)  
  * Why is gallium stored in plastic instead of glass? (Gallium wets glass and expands as it solidifies, which could crack rigid containers.)  
  * How does supercooling demonstrate the difference between liquid and solid states? (It shows that gallium can remain liquid below its freezing point until a disturbance initiates crystallization.)  
  * What makes gallium different from other metals like aluminum or iron? (It has an unusually low melting point, is non-toxic compared to mercury, and exhibits unusual crystalline properties.)