‍The new study shows that while those bonds disappear at melting point, they reappear at higher temperatures.

That contradicts long-standing assumptions and necessitates a new explanation for gallium’s low melting point. The researchers propose that the key may be a large increase in entropy – a measure of disorder – when the bonds disappear, freeing up the atoms.



New Findings Challenge 150-Year-Old Assumptions: Scientists Discover New Properties of Unusual Metal

New research reveals aspects of structure and behavior at the atomic level. Nearly 150 years after its discovery and subsequent addition to the periodic table, gallium continues to reveal its secrets. Scientists from the University of Auckland have recently uncovered new aspects of the metal’s stru

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