Mercury (Hg)
"The Quicksilver, a fluid hero who is both a beautiful liquid metal and a potent toxin."
A memorable persona to anchor Hg in your mind.
13.534
Grams per cm³
-38.829
Celsius (°C)
209
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
Mercury is found as the liquid in an old glass thermometer.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
Ancient
Discovered By
Unknown
Origin of Name
"Mercury is named after the planet, Mercury."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
200.592 u
Standard State
liquid
Boiling Point
356.619°C
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f145d106s2
1st Ionization Energy
10.438 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"Mercury is a heavy, silvery metal that is liquid at room temperature."
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.