Where does the element mercury come from?
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Where does the element mercury come from?
Mercury, a liquid metal – once widely referred to as quick silver – is a naturally occurring element released by volcanoes and the weathering of rocks. But most of the mercury that is responsible for polluting Minnesota lakes and the fish that live in them originates as air pollution from coal-burning power plants.
What came first mercury the planet or element?
Both the planet and the substance are named after the roman god Mercury. The planet Mercury is named after the Roman god Mercury. Mercury is a god known for being fast.
Where is the element mercury found?
Mercury is a naturally-occurring chemical element found in rock in the earth’s crust, including in deposits of coal. On the periodic table, it has the symbol “Hg” and its atomic number is 80.
How was mercury made?
Mercury is mined as mercuric sulphide (cinnabar ore). The metallic form is refined from mercuric sulphide ore by heating the ore to temperatures above 540º C. This vaporises the mercury in the ore, and the vapours are then captured and cooled to form the liquid metal mercury.
What is special about mercury element?
Mercury is the only metal that is a liquid at standard temperature and pressure. The only other liquid element under standard conditions is bromine (a halogen), although the metals rubidium, cesium, and gallium melt at a temperature just above room temperature. Mercury is a very rare element in the Earth’s crust.
What elements make up mercury?
mercury (Hg), also called quicksilver, chemical element, liquid metal of Group 12 (IIb, or zinc group) of the periodic table….mercury.
atomic number | 80 |
---|---|
boiling point | 356.62 °C (673.91 °F) |
specific gravity | 13.5 at 20 °C (68 °F) |
valence | 1, 2 |
electron configuration | 2-8-18-32-18-2 or (Xe)4f 145d106s2 |
Who invented mercury element?
Mercury or quicksilver has been known since ancient times. We do not know who discovered it. Mercury was known to the ancient Chinese, Egyptians and Hindus and has been found in Egyptian tombs dating back to about 1500 B.C.