Element Family
Transition Metal
Lanthanide
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.
- Promethium metal found in Pitchblende.
- Promethium metal is highly radioactive metal.
Sources
Mining, Ores of Minerals
Found in Minerals, Mining
Who Discovered
Ancient Chinese and Indians
Chien Shiung Wu, Emilio Segrè, Hans Bethe
Discovery
Before 2000 BCE
In 1942
Abundance In Meteorites
-
Abundance In Earth's Crust
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 is used for research purpose. Very small amount of this metal is used in atomic batteries.
- Its radioactive decay is used for a phosphor to give off light. The light emitted is converted into electricity.
Industrial Uses
Electrical Industry, Electronic Industry
-
Other Uses
Alloys, Mirror Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical Industry
-
Toxicity
Highly Toxic
Non Toxic
Present in Human Body
Yes
No
Physical State
Liquid
Solid
Pauling Electronegativity
Sanderson Electronegativity
Allred Rochow Electronegativity
Mulliken-Jaffe Electronegativity
Pauling Electropositivity
Electrochemical Equivalent
Other Chemical Properties
Flammability, Ionization, Solubility
Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2
[Xe] 4f5 6s2
Crystal Structure
Rhombohedral (RHO)
Double Hexagonal Close Packed (DHCP)
Crystal Lattice
RHO-Crystal-Structure-of-Mercury.jpg#100
DHCP-Crystal-Structure-of-Promethium.jpg#100
Valence Electron Potential
Density At Room Temperature
Density When Liquid (at m.p.)
Other Mechanical Properties
-
-
Magnetic Ordering
Diamagnetic
Paramagnetic
Electrical Property
Conductor
Conductor