Melting point is an important characteristic that is most often applied specifically to metals. It depends on many physical properties of substances - their purity and crystal structure. What metal is the most fusible: Li, Al, Hg, Cu? Let's find out which of them can really be called such.
Most fusible metals
Melting is the process of transition from solid to liquid state. It occurs under the influence of heat, but also depends on a number of physical factors, such as pressure. An important role in how easily and hard a substance can be melted is also played by its composition, the size of crystals in the lattice and the strength of bonds between atoms.
The melting point of metals varies greatly and can even have negative values. It ranges from -39 to +3410 degrees Celsius. Molybdenum, tungsten, chromium, titanium are the most difficult to turn into a liquid. For this process, they need to be heated to a temperature of at least 2000 degrees.
The most fusible metals are gallium,mercury, lithium, tin, lead, zinc, indium, bismuth, thallium. Read more about some of them below.
Mercury
Useful in many areas, but the poisonous metal was known even before our era. Mercury was used by ancient and medieval physicians to treat venereal and many other diseases, alchemists tried to make gold out of it. Today it is used in electrical engineering, instrumentation and organic chemistry.
Ruth is the most fusible metal on the planet. Under normal room conditions, it is always liquid, since its melting point is -39 degrees. Its vapors are very dangerous, therefore mercury is contained only in containers and special glass flasks. It acts like a poison on the body, poisoning it and incapacitating the nervous, immune, respiratory and digestive systems.
Gallium
The second in the list of the most fusible metals is gallium. It becomes a liquid at temperatures above 29.5 degrees Celsius, and you can soften it just by holding it a little in your hands. Under normal conditions, gallium is very brittle, easily mechanically affected and has a light silvery, somewhat bluish hue.
The metal is very scattered in the earth's crust and is not found in the form of nuggets. In nature, it is found in the composition of various minerals, such as garnet, muscovite, tourmaline, chlorite, feldspar. In addition, it is found in sea water. Gallium is used in high-frequency electronics, for the manufacture of mirrors and various alloys.
India
As a simple substance, indium is very light, malleable, and soft enough to even leave a mark when swiped across paper. It is also one of the most fusible metals, but is only affected by temperatures above 157 °C. It boils at 2072 degrees.
Like gallium, indium does not form its own deposits, but is contained in various ores. Due to its dispersion in nature, the metal is quite expensive. It is used in microelectronics, for the manufacture of low-melting alloys, solders, liquid crystal screens for technology.
Tin
Tin melts at temperatures above 231 degrees Celsius. It is a ductile and soft metal, light silver in color. It exists in four allotropic modifications, two of which appear only at high pressure.
Tin is quite scattered in nature, but can form its own minerals such as stannin and cassiterite. It is used as a coating for metals to enhance their resistance to corrosion, as well as for the production of tin, foil, various alloys, utensils and parts for musical instruments.
Lithium
Lithium is the most fusible metal, which becomes a liquid at a temperature of 180 degrees. It is soft, lends itself well to forging and machining. It belongs to the alkali metals, but is much less active than the rest of the group. It reacts slowly with moist air, and in a dry atmosphere remains almoststable
The metal is found in spodumene, lepidolite, in deposits with tin, bismuth and tungsten, found in sea water and in stellar space objects. Lithium is often used for the manufacture of galvanic cells, batteries, used as an oxidizing agent, as well as in pyrotechnics. In alloys with cadmium, copper and aluminum, it is used in space, military and aviation technology.
