Page 103 - The Periodic Table Book

Uses HOW DOES A BAROMETER WORK?

This part of the A barometer is an
This thermometer tube has no air. Glass tube instrument used to
contains mercury, measure air pressure
which expands as Mercury rises
it gets warmer and when the air to forecast the weather.
contracts as it cools. Air presses pressure is high The simplest – and
down on and falls when earliest – designs used
mercury. it is low. a column of mercury
inside a glass tube.
Pills containing Mercury pills Transition Metals
mercury were
commonly used to
treat constipation Mercury in a container
and toothache.

This bright red
paint is made with
This bulb glows when powdered cinnabar. Red paint
the mercury vapour
inside it is electrified.

Mercury
has been in use
Mercury thermometer
for more than Mercury barometer, c. 1660
4,000 years.
This large,
low-cost mirror The needle moves
made of a pool of pure with the rise and
mercury is used in an fall of mercury.
CFL bulb astronomical telescope.

Liquid mirror inside telescope

it can damage organs and nerves if inhaled or strong, red paints. Until the early 18th century,
swallowed. As a result, the use of this metal mercury was used in pills for treating some
is carefully monitored today. Mercury is used common ailments. It gradually fell out of use
in some batteries, some thermometers, and in when it was found to be toxic. The first accurate
low-energy, compact fluorescent light (CFL) barometers also contained this liquid, but such
bulbs. Its compounds are used to prepare devices are rarely seen today. 101

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