Disagreements in published boiling temperatures of tin, gallium etc.

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In summary, there are significant discrepancies in the published boiling temperatures of chemical elements, such as tin and gallium, with differences of hundreds of degrees centigrade. These variations can be found in reputable sources such as Wikipedia, chemicalelements.com, and various textbooks. It is unclear whether these discrepancies are a result of errors by the authors or genuine disagreements among scientists. It is difficult to determine the most reliable source for accurate boiling temperature information, as such discrepancies are not uncommon and can be traced back to different original sources.
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Peter Dow
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I have noted big disagreements of a scale of hundreds of degrees centigrade in published values for the boiling temperature of chemical elements such as tin and gallium.

For example,

Tin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin" [Broken] - 2602 °C, 2875 K, 
http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/sn.html" [Broken] - 2270.0°C, 2543.15 K
which agrees with one of my textbooks
Penguin Dictionary of Chemistry - 2270°C
but not the other
Chemistry, Molecules, Matter and Change - 2720°C


Gallium
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallium" [Broken] - 2204 °C, 2477 K, 
http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/ga.html" [Broken] 2403.0 °C, 2676.15 K
which agrees with one of my textbooks
Penguin Dictionary of Chemistry - 2403 °C
but not the other
Chemistry, Molecules, Matter and Change - 2070 °C


Of course I am wondering why the different values - errors by the authors of books or websites or genuine disagreements between scientists as to the values?

Which source do people recommend as the most reliable source of accurate boiling temperature information and why?
 
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I can't tell you what is the best source, what I can tell you is that such discrepancies are nothing unusual. Sometimes they can be traced down to separate sources that originally published different values of something. If I recall correctly that's the case with density tables of the sulfuric acid - they come in two flavors, and I have seen both versions printed already in books from before IWW. All later ones where just reprints.
 

1. Why are there discrepancies in the published boiling temperatures of tin and gallium?

There are several factors that can contribute to variations in the published boiling temperatures of tin and gallium. These include differences in experimental techniques, impurities in the sample, and variations in atmospheric pressure.

2. How significant are these discrepancies in the context of scientific research?

The discrepancies in published boiling temperatures of tin and gallium are relatively small and typically fall within a range of only a few degrees Celsius. While they may be of interest to scientists studying these elements, they do not significantly impact the overall body of scientific research.

3. Can these discrepancies be attributed to measurement error?

In some cases, discrepancies in published boiling temperatures can be attributed to measurement error. This can occur due to variations in the equipment used, differences in experimental conditions, or human error. However, in most cases, these errors are small and do not significantly impact the overall results.

4. Are there any ongoing efforts to address these discrepancies?

Yes, there are ongoing efforts to address discrepancies in published boiling temperatures of tin and gallium. This includes conducting more precise and accurate experiments, as well as developing standardized methods for measuring and reporting these temperatures.

5. How can scientists ensure the accuracy of published boiling temperatures for these elements?

To ensure the accuracy of published boiling temperatures for tin, gallium, and other elements, scientists must carefully design and conduct experiments using standardized methods. It is also important for researchers to carefully analyze and verify their results before publishing them in scientific journals.

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