Element Family
Transition Metal
Transition Metal
Space Group Name
R_ 3m
P63/mmc
Interesting Facts
- At room temperature mercury is found in a liquid state.
- A coin of pound or rupees floats in mercury.
- Because of its low melting point and boiling point it is used in thermometers.
- Naturally occurring minor elements include Cadmium.
- Cadmium is released into atmosphere to control volcanic eruption and forest fires.
- It is used for electroplating of Steel for corrosion resistance.
- It can absorb neutrons and used in nuclear reactor to control atomic fission.
Sources
Mining, Ores of Minerals
Found As a By-product, Found in Minerals, Mining
Who Discovered
Ancient Chinese and Indians
Karl Samuel Leberecht Hermann and Friedrich Stromeyer
Discovery
Before 2000 BCE
In 1817
Abundance In Universe
Not Available
Abundance In Sun
~-9999 %
Abundance In Meteorites
Not Available
Abundance In Earth's Crust
Abundance In Oceans
Not Available
Abundance In Humans
Not Available
Uses & Benefits
- It is a liquid metal at room temperature, but it is a toxic heavy metal and hence many uses of mercury are under review or phased out.
- It is manly used as a catalysts in chemical industry.
- It has very limited uses as it is a toxic metal and it can cause birth defects, cancer, etc.
-
Almost 80% of Cadmium metal is used in Nickel cadmium Batteries and now it is getting replaced with nickel hydride.
Industrial Uses
Electrical Industry, Electronic Industry
Aerospace Industry, Ammunition Industry, Chemical Industry, Electrical Industry, Electronic Industry
Medical Uses
Dentistry
NA
Other Uses
Alloys, Mirror Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical Industry
Alloys
Toxicity
Highly Toxic
Toxic
Present in Human Body
Yes
Yes
Melting Point
Not Available
Physical State
Liquid
Solid
Color
Silver
Silvery Bluish-Gray
Mohs Hardness
Not Available
Brinell Hardness
Not Available
Refractive Index
Not Available
α Allotropes
Not Available
Not Available
β Allotropes
Not Available
Not Available
γ Allotropes
Not Available
Not Available
Pauling Electronegativity
Sanderson Electronegativity
Allred Rochow Electronegativity
Mulliken-Jaffe Electronegativity
Pauling Electropositivity
Electrochemical Equivalent
Other Chemical Properties
Flammability, Ionization, Solubility
Chemical Stability, Anti Corrosion, Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2
[Kr] 4d10 5s2
Crystal Structure
Rhombohedral (RHO)
Hexagonal Close Packed (HCP)
Crystal Lattice
RHO-Crystal-Structure-of-Mercury.jpg#100
HCP-Crystal-Structure-of-Cadmium.jpg#100
Valence Electron Potential
Lattice Angles
NA
π/2, π/2, 2 π/3
Lattice C/A Ratio
Not Available
Density At Room Temperature
Density When Liquid (at m.p.)
Not Available
Tensile Strength
Not Available
Shear Modulus
Not Available
Bulk Modulus
Not Available
Young's Modulus
Not Available
Poisson Ratio
Not Available
Other Mechanical Properties
NA
Ductile, Malleable
Magnetic Ordering
Diamagnetic
Diamagnetic
Electrical Property
Conductor
Semiconductor
Critical Temperature
Not Available