Gallium is an interesting metal because it melts at body temperature, looking a lot like mercury when it's a liquid, but safe to touch.

This comes in a small plastic vial with an attached cap. If it's cold enough, the gallium inside will be solid, making it virtually impossible to remove. Just run hot water over the vial and it will melt and you can then just pour it out. Take care though, because this can separate into tiny drops that can easily get away, and, being a metal, it won't exactly soak into a paper towel or sponge. I found the easiest way to return it to the vial is to scoop it up with a piece of paper or plastic sheet. If it's on a smooth surface, you can use ice to harden it and make it easier to pick up.

Warning. This is a soft metal, and will melt easily, and as such,it will readily mark surfaces if it rubbed across. If you're handling it with your hands, your hands will get dirty. It's best to keep it over a protective surface like a plastic sheet to prevent this from marking up a table to counter-top. And whatever you do, avoid dropping it on cloth or on a carpet! It will be practically impossible to get it out.

This stuff works great in ice cube molds.

This is for you if you are interested in chemistry, interested in learning, or want to prank some friends.

It takes a few minutes to heat up in your hand.
But when it does it will be liquid gallium as described.

It leaves a slight grayish residue on your hand so just wash them after handling.
The metal will return to its solid state after cooling down so store in an appropriate container.

Be careful on moving the liquid in your hand because it will easily fall out and you will lose your gallium!

My 13 year old daughter was studying the periodic chart of the elements in science and I thought this was the perfect way to keep her interested in it. The item arrived pretty quick and packed well. The gallium comes in a small, plastic tube and that was the only reason I took away one star. There's no way to get the stuff out without heating it first. I was hoping to show her the gallium in a solid state in her hand before we "melted" it. You can either put it in a shallow cup of very warm water or use a hair dryer on low. We tried rubbing the tube in between our hands like we were trying to start a fire with a stick but that wasn't getting us anywhere. Once we poured it out...my daughter was very excited. It does leave a grey residue on your hands from oxidation but it came right off with soap and water. In it's liquid state, it was pretty easy to get back into the tube. I may look for a better container so that it's easier to get out in the future. All in all, a great way to introduce young students to different types of elements and their properties.

I am interested in chemistry (I am 15) and I had some extra money. So I thought I'd buy an interesting element and I stumbled across gallium. I bought 40 grams from them melted it down into an ingot with some warm water. And I thought I'd weigh it when i did my scale said it was only 10 grams I contacted the company through amazon to tell them and then forgot about it. 2 weeks later i received the 30 grams of gallium that I didnt receive. The customer service was amazing, But there are some things I have discovered. First this DO NOT let this be messed around with by anyone below 11 years old. It is very messy/sticky. And if spilled it is very hard to clean up (I spilled it within the first 5 mins of melting it. Second (optional) wear latex gloves when you liquefy it just to make sure not to get any on your skin though it is non toxic it is not the best thing to be in your body. Third DO NOT and I mean DO NOT store in a glass container when the gallium hardens it expands if stored in glass it will crack the glass which can cause injury. Also when melting it I put a glass of water in the microwave for 1 min 30 secs and put the container with the gallium in it for about 10 mins (make sure to hold the top closed or the steam from inside will pop the top open) and dump it into a container that you want it to be stored/made into the shape of. Then stick in the freezer for around 30-45 mins. At first i used cheap plastic party cups so that when it hardens you can cut the cup and remove the hardened gallium. (Also you will have to wait a LONG time for it to melt in your hand). Also the picture is the ingot I made of my 40 grams of gallium.

This will NOT come in a cube and it will NOT look like it does in the picture.
This will come in a silver blob that has formed to fit the bottom of the pill bottle they send it in. (At least that is how mine came).

What is cool about this is that it is a metal with a low melting point. You can hold it in your hand and it will melt.

We are going to use it to conduct an experiment or two and generally play with it as homeschooling science geeks do.
Please read the warnings from others about this product. It can leave gray smudges on hands and things. This is not for little kids.

So far the kids haven't had an opportunity to mess with it much as I'm waiting for the point in our curriculum that it will fit in. But my husband and I have had fun with it.

Very cool.
Enjoy.