guck videos emerge from TikTok send out some mass into an understandablepanic on Twitterrecently as it depend as though they were nonchalantly tossing around mercury . While the liquified metal closely resembles mercury , it ’s actually another very cool material called gallium .
Gallium , or Ga on the Period Table , is a soft , silvern - white metal that ’s alike to aluminium . You ’ll witness a lot of photo of the great unwashed holding its puddled form in the palm of their hands on the internet , and this is because , despite its mercury - similar appearance , it’snon - toxic .
When it comes to mercury , handle it is n’t really the issuance . While skin can absorb mercury , which can cause toxic condition in humans , it absorbs very slow . However , mercury is not something you want to be around because you’re able to take a breath in its vapor , a hazard that ’s especially grievous for children and pregnant multitude .
Even if you were to wear a masquerade , bet with atomic number 80 could be catastrophic for sentimental point such as halo . Gold dissolves in mercury , so if the latter should come into contact with , say , a nuptials annulus , you’re able to buss that thing goodbye .
In short , do n’t be mess around with mercury . And why would you need to when atomic number 31 exists ?
In the natural state , gallium exists within compound in tincture amounts . It ’s extract into its pure form through smelting and can be reap commercially as a by - product of aluminum and zinc product .
In the workplace , gallium is employ inelectronic circuits , semiconductor , light - emitting diodes(LEDs ) , and microwaves . It also lends a help hand to solar panel and has traveled to Mars by hitching a drive onNASA ’s Mars Exploration Program ’s wanderer .
As for gallium ’s recreational uses , as alloy go it ’s a very fun one to spiel with . At elbow room temperature gallium is so diffuse you’re able to veer through it with a tongue . pluck it up and warm it with your paw and it will grow to liquid , much like that seen satisfyingly gooing into balls of slime on TikTok .
So , anyone fearing that people are blithely huffing in quicksilver on TikTok can belike pass off a sigh of relief as we have the chemical element gallium to thank for the satisfying videos . That said , quicksilver ending up on the societal media political platform does n’t find like that great a leap when you consider how many mass have learn to TikTok happilyhandling gloomy - ringed octopuses .
