Mercury

Located at Group 12 and Period 6 of the Periodic Table is the only metal that is in Liquid State at room temperature. This is Mercury.

Aristotle the Philosopher

Mercury has been known since the Ancient times and therefore no one knew who exactly discovered Mercury. Mercury has been already used by the Chinese and even further to the Ancient Egyptians. There is even a report about Mercury since the Roman times!

Mercury has sometimes been confused with Arsenic by the Alchemists ( People who study early science ). AND Alchemy has been existing for a few thousand years. So, no one knew who actually discovered Mercury. No one knew who first isolated Mercury too. But we know that Mercury has already existed since the Ancient Romans where Aristotle wrote a report about a quicksilver which he called it Hydro - Argygos, which means water - silver.

Besides, we also knew that Mercury can be isolated with heating an ore called Cinnabar. The Mercury will form into vapor and finally Mercury was isolated. The discovery of Cinnabar was made by a tubmaker in Idrija around 1490 as he was soaking a wooden bucket into the steam. An unknown substance found its way into the bucket and later was known as Mercury.

Five of the most dangerous ores in the world - Cinnabar

A pretty yet poisonous metal

Mercury is liquid in room temperature and it expands as the temperature gets colder. And therefore, Mercury is used as a Thermometer.

Alcohol        Mercury

  Thermometer  Thermometer

You can actually differentiate which is Mercury thermometer simply by looking at the color of the thermometer. If the color of line in the Thermometer is red in color, that means that it is an Alcohol Thermometer. If the color of line in the Thermometer is grey in color, that means that it is an Mercury Thermometer.

Mercury is liquid in room temperature and, believe me, it is very nice to look at... but not good to touch it! It is something like a Nice-to-see-nice-to-hold-once-touched-considered-death situation.

Besides, Mercury is very poisonous! One touch, your skin will got burned, or maybe irritation or death too. Swallowing Mercury may be good as it is known for clearing intestines. SO, swallowing Mercury might let you be in the bathroom for awhile. However, eating , inhaling or touching too much Mercury can still cause death!

So, in conclusion, please do not touch Mercury!!

Atomic Number : 80
Name : Mercury
Latin Name : Hydragentum
Electrons per shell : [ 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 2 ]
Discoverer : Unknown ( It has been known since early times! )
Isolator : Unknown ( It has been isolated since early times! )
Element's : Atomic Mass : 200.59 u
                  : Density : 13.5336 g/㎥
                  : Type : Transition Metal
Chemical Properties :

Mercury - 201

• Moderately Active
• Does not react with oxygen readily
• Reacts with hot acids, but doesn't react with cold ones.
• 64 isotopes : 3 of them are :
        Mercury - 194 : Protons : 80
                                : Neutrons : 114
                                : Electrons : 80
    ( Half Life : 444 years )
  
        Mercury - 198 : Protons : 80
                                : Neutrons : 118
                                : Electrons : 80
    ( Half Life : Stable )
  
        Mercury - 201 : Protons : 80
                                : Neutrons : 121
                                : Electrons : 80
    ( Half Life : Stable )

Physical Properties :

• silvery - white
• shiny
• poor conductor of heat
• fair conductor of electricity
• only metal in liquid form when in room temperature
• highly poisonous!
• Melting Point : -38.83 degrees Celsius ( 101.894 Fahrenheit )
• Boiling Point : 356.7 degrees Celsius ( 674.06 Fahrenheit )

  

  Poisonous Hazard Symbol

How Mercury got its name?

Mercury's Latin Name is Hydrargentum, which means ' liquid silver ', based on its physical property   ' a silvery - white liquid metal '. The English name of Mercury is name after the fastest moving planet in the solar system : Mercury. It is named so based on Mercury's Nickname : Quick - Silver.

Planet Mercury, the fastest orbiting planet
in the Solar System

Mercury is nicknamed Quick - Silver... And its
easy to know why.

Uses

Mercury is used to make thermometers and barometers. Of course, Mercury is also used in Fluorescent Lamps, Advertising Sign and also Streetlights. Mercury is also used to make silent and position dependent switches.

Mercury Switch

THIS IS THE END OF MERCURY

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