For best answer. Does anyone knows what kind of metal is that?

Question

What do you call a metal that if thrown at you and hit your face, you'll be injured but if you have caught it by your hands, it will melt?

What is that metal and how come it melts? Thanks!!

Answer 1

Indeed, it's gallium.

Gallium's catch phrase: "It melts in your mouth, and in your hand." (Please do not eat Gallium-LOL)

Like the guy above me said, good answer-by the way!, gallium's phase diagram is really neat if you understand it; Gallium is unique because it is one of the four elements that are a liquid at a comfortable temperature, the others being mercury, caesium and rubidium. Gallium has the longest liquid range of any element.

As for the group 1 elements, you can try a fun experiment for yourself.  If you have a "slab" of sodium, it's not easily pulled apart--I have to cut it, you can throw a SMALL piece into a tub of water and watch it.  It's really a fun experiment, especially if pesky geese are around...LOL kidding! Check out the link below to see.

All of these metals react vigorously or even explosively with cold water. In each case, a solution of the metal hydroxide is produced together with hydrogen gas.

2X(s) + 2H2O(l) ---> 2XOH(aq) + H2(g)

This equation applies to any of these metals and water - just replace the X by the symbol you want. ( assuming a very small bit of the metal is dropped into water in a fairly large container.)

For a REALLY great experiment, put cesium in water; as you decrease through group 1, the reactivity with water becomes more violent. I did this for a class of intro-level chem students, they really enjoyed it.

Answer 2

its gallium it will melts slightly above room temperature and can be easily in our hands...

Answer 3

this questions could have many answers because most elements in the 1st group on the periodic table have melting points at  just about 95 or so. so a metal such as lithium or sodium could melt in your hand and damage you face.

Answer 4

Gallium.

Answer 5

It is Gallium.  The period I metals will NOT melt in your hands, they will burn and devistae them, though.

Li+H20---> LiOH and H2 with enough energy (exothermic reaction) to ignite the Hydrogen).  Yikes, NO thanks.

At what temperature a substance melts at atmospheric pressure is found from the phase diagram.  They are wonderfully impressive bodies of information.

Note: I believe that, like water, solid Gallium will float in liquid Gallium...or it's oxide will.  I really have to look that one up.

-Fred