What is Mercury Metal?
Mercury Basic Information
- Symbol: Hg
- Atomic Number: 80
- Atomic Mass: 200.59
- Boiling Point: 256.58°C
- Melting Point: -38.8°C
- Number of Protons/Electrons: 80
- Average Number of Neutrons: 120
- Classification: Transition Elements
- Density: 13.456 g/cm3
Appearance of Mercury Metal
- Silvery White
- Mirror Like
- High Surface Tension
- Liquid Metal
The Discovery and history Of Mercury (Hg)
- The element Mercury was discovered at about 1500 B.C.
- The discoverer of Mercury is unknown.
- The Mercury is named after Roman God Mercury, a.k.a. Greek God Hermes.
- It was used in ancient times because it was thought to give better health.
How Mercury is produced?
Mercury has been known for thousands of years. In many cultures, people learned to make mercury metal from its most important ore, cinnabar. When heated cinnabar releases mercury as a vapor (gas). The vapor is cooled and captured as liquid mercury.
Types of Mercury:-
Elemental (Metallic) Mercury: Elemental or metallic mercury is a shiny, silver-white metal, historically referred to as quicksilver, and is liquid at room temperature.
Inorganic Mercury: In its inorganic form, mercury occurs abundantly in the environment, primarily as the minerals cinnabar and metacinnabar, and as impurities in other minerals.
Mercury Metal is used in:
- Thermometer
- Barometer
- Batteries
- Mercury Vapor Lamps
Disadvantages of Mercury in Human Health
However, when elemental mercury is ingested, little is absorbed into the body. The inhalation of elemental mercury vapors can cause neurological and behavioral disorders, such as tremors, emotional instability, insomnia, memory loss, neuromuscular changes and headaches. They can also harm the kidneys and thyroid.
What happens when Mercury reacts with gold?
When mercury is come in contact with gold it produces alloy named Amalgam. Mercury breaks the atomic structure of gold and makes alloy at low temperature. This amalgam is used for extraction of gold from ore. Amalgam is an excellent and versatile restorative material and is used in dentistry for many reasons. This process is known as Amalgamation.
