Mercury (Hg) Fun Facts
"The Quicksilver, a fluid hero who is both a beautiful liquid metal and a potent toxin."
The true essence of Mercury (Hg) on the molecular frontier.
Mercury is a heavy, silvery metal that is liquid at room temperature.
Mercury is found as the liquid in an old glass thermometer.
Mercury�s toxicity inspired the �Mad Hatter� from Alice in Wonderland, who was poisoned by mercury in his trade.
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Did You Know?
It is the only metallic element that is liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure.
Its chemical symbol, Hg, comes from its Greek name, 'hydrargyrum', which means 'water-silver'.
Mercury was used in early thermometers and barometers because it expands and contracts uniformly with temperature and pressure changes.
The phrase "mad as a hatter" originated from the neurological damage suffered by 19th-century hat makers who used mercury compounds to process felt.
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can bioaccumulate in the food chain, which is why there are warnings about eating too much of certain types of fish like tuna and swordfish.