Mercury

=  Mercury = = =

Who discovered it?

==== No one knows exactly when mercury was discovered, but many ancient civilizations were familiar with this element. Its ore is a dark red mineral known as cinnabar. When heated in a charcoal fire silvery droplets of the metal appear on its surface. ====

[[image:merc16a.jpg width="197" height="162"]]
= When was it discovered? = No one knows exactly when it was discovered it has been around for millions of years.

= Symbol, Atomic Number, and atomic mass = = Source/ origin of the symbol = = = ﻿Atomic Number= 80 Atomic Mass=200.59 Symbol=Hg = Symbol Origin: From the Latin word hydrargyrum (liquid silver) =

**﻿ ** Melting Point: -38.87 °C (234.28 K, -37.966 °F) Boiling Point: 356.58 °C (629.73 K, 673.844 °F) Density @ 293 K: 13.456 g/cm3 = Abundance in the Earth’s crust = 7×10-6%

Uses

The metal is widely used in laboratory work for making thermometers, barometers, diffusion pumps, and many other instruments. It is used in making mercury-vapor lamps and advertising signs, etc. and is used in mercury switches and other electronic apparatus. Other uses are in making pesticides, cercury cells for caustic soda and chlorine production, dental preparations, anti-fouling paint, batteries, and catalysts. = Interesting facts = = = Mercury is the only metal that is known to exist in liquid form naturally. The discovery of mercury was made thousands of years ago, and traces of the element can even be found in Egyptian tombs that date back to the year 1500 B.C.Mercury is silvery-white in appearance and can exist at room temperature in a liquid state. This makes it a unique and one of a kind metal, and anyone who sees mercury for the first time cannot help being fascinated by its incredible nature. The amount of mercury element facts that are known today have been known to us for many many years, and this has enabled human beings to put mercury to some incredibly vital uses.

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Facts/ Sources= http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/hg.html http://sites.google.com/site/mercuryelement101/mercury-element http://www.buzzle.com/articles/mercury-element-facts.html