Metallic hydrogen

Metallic hydrogen is an alkali metal made from hydrogen gas.^[1] This is formed when the hydrogen gas is under compression and results with the gas changing phase. It is an example of degenerate matter. The matter has a crystal structure of proton atoms, with spacing that is extremely small, smaller than a Bohr radius (which is 52.918 x 10^-12 m). The electrons in the molecular orbital are unbounded and they behave like the conduction electrons in a metal. Metallic hydrogen is unusual as the element itself is not an alkali metal, but a diatomic gas.

Metallic hydrogen is known to exist in the cores of Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter has the most metallic hydrogen. Metallic hydrogen is a dense liquid. Metallic hydrogen acts like a metal and has crazy properties.

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References

↑ Wigner, E.. On the possibility of a metallic modification of hydrogen. Journal of Chemical Physics 3 (12) (1935). p. 764. doi:10.1063/1.1749590.

[Wigner1935-1] Wigner, E.. On the possibility of a metallic modification of hydrogen. Journal of Chemical Physics 3 (12) (1935). p. 764. doi:10.1063/1.1749590.

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