Page 102 - The Periodic Table Book

80
Hg Mercury

State: Liquid
80 80 121 Discovery: c. 1500 bce

Transition Metals mineral is the main ore
Forms

This bright red

of mercury used today.

Cinnabar

Solid
mercury is soft
enough to be
Liquid form of pure mercury
cut with
The “ribbed” effect a knife.
is due to mercury’s
extremely high density. This metal melts
at −39°C (−38°F).

Mercury is the only metal that is liquid used for many centuries: ancient Romans
at room temperature. Along with water, it is roasted cinnabar to release a liquid they called
one of the few liquids found naturally on Earth’s hydrargyrum, meaning “silver water”. This
surface. Pure mercury forms around volcanoes was the element mercury. It was later known
where the heat separates it from its minerals, as quicksilver because of how fast it flowed as
100 such as cinnabar. This red mineral has been a stream of liquid. This metal is very poisonous:

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