Mercury
By Lily McMurtrie
Mercury is also
known as quick
silver.
Mercury, a toxic metal, harmful to man. But isn't it enough to know to avoid it? Who discovered mercury? Where was it discovered? How?
Hopefully, I can answer these questions.
Hopefully, I can answer these questions.
A summary of Mercury
Mercury has been in use for thousands of years, used all over the world.
It took them that long to figure out it was bad? Sheesh!
Mercury could be found in Egyptian tombs that date from 1500 BC.[11]
In China and Tibet, mercury use was thought to extend life, heal cuts and bruises, and keep you healthy, although it is now known that touching, inhaling, etc mercury is lethal. [12] One of the emperors of China, Qín Shǐ Huáng Dì — who was supposedly buried in a tomb that contained rivers of flowing mercury on a model of China — was killed by drinking a mercury and powdered jade mixture -"an elixir of life" made by Qin alchemists (causing liver failure, mercury poisoning, and brain death) who actually wanted to make him live for ever. [13][14]
Well, at least they achieved..... absolutely nothing.
The ancient Greeks used mercury in ointments; the ancient Egyptians and the Romans used it in cosmetics (makeup) which could easily deform the face. In Lamanai, once a major city of the Maya civilization, a pool of mercury was found in a Mesoamerican ballcourt.[15][16] By 500 BC mercury was used to make amalgams ("alloy of mercury") with other metals.[17]
Alchemists thought of mercury as the First Matter from which all metals were formed. They believed that different metals could be produced by changing the quality and quantity of sulfur contained inside the mercury. The purest of these was gold, and mercury was called for in attempts at the transmutation of base (or impure) metals into gold, which was the main goal of many alchemists. Of course, they were wrong! [18]
Hg is the modern chemical symbol for mercury. It comes from hydrargyrum, a Latinized form of the Greek word Ύδραργυρος (hydrargyros), a word meaning "water-silver" (hydr- = water, argyros = silver) — for it's liquid shine. The element was named after the Roman god Mercury, (Hermes in greek) who was known for speed and mobility. It is also associated with the planet
Mercury.
A god, a planet, and a toxic metal. One big happy family!
The video below is to raise awareness about mercury in tuna.
It took them that long to figure out it was bad? Sheesh!
Mercury could be found in Egyptian tombs that date from 1500 BC.[11]
In China and Tibet, mercury use was thought to extend life, heal cuts and bruises, and keep you healthy, although it is now known that touching, inhaling, etc mercury is lethal. [12] One of the emperors of China, Qín Shǐ Huáng Dì — who was supposedly buried in a tomb that contained rivers of flowing mercury on a model of China — was killed by drinking a mercury and powdered jade mixture -"an elixir of life" made by Qin alchemists (causing liver failure, mercury poisoning, and brain death) who actually wanted to make him live for ever. [13][14]
Well, at least they achieved..... absolutely nothing.
The ancient Greeks used mercury in ointments; the ancient Egyptians and the Romans used it in cosmetics (makeup) which could easily deform the face. In Lamanai, once a major city of the Maya civilization, a pool of mercury was found in a Mesoamerican ballcourt.[15][16] By 500 BC mercury was used to make amalgams ("alloy of mercury") with other metals.[17]
Alchemists thought of mercury as the First Matter from which all metals were formed. They believed that different metals could be produced by changing the quality and quantity of sulfur contained inside the mercury. The purest of these was gold, and mercury was called for in attempts at the transmutation of base (or impure) metals into gold, which was the main goal of many alchemists. Of course, they were wrong! [18]
Hg is the modern chemical symbol for mercury. It comes from hydrargyrum, a Latinized form of the Greek word Ύδραργυρος (hydrargyros), a word meaning "water-silver" (hydr- = water, argyros = silver) — for it's liquid shine. The element was named after the Roman god Mercury, (Hermes in greek) who was known for speed and mobility. It is also associated with the planet
Mercury.
A god, a planet, and a toxic metal. One big happy family!
The video below is to raise awareness about mercury in tuna.
Describing mercury (other than its toxic)
Name: Mercury
Symbol: Hg
Atomic Number: 80
Atomic Mass: 200.59
Melting Point: -38.87 °C (-37.966 °F)
Boiling Point: 356.58 °C (673.844 °F)
Number of Protons/Electrons: 80
Number of Neutrons: 121
Classification: Transition Metal
Crystal Structure: Rhombus
Color: Silver
Atomic weight: 201
protons: 80
electrons: 80
neutrons: 121
Mercury has 7 stable isotopes, with 116, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122 and 124 neutrons.
Mercury's origin (and some other facts)
Date of Discovery: Known to the ancients (Greeks, Hindus, Romans)
Discoverer: Unknown (sorry, can't answer that question)
Name Origin: After the Roman god Mercury
Symbol Origin: From the Latin word hydrargyrum (liquid silver)
Uses: thermometers, barometers, fluorescent lamps, batteries, failing elixirs of life
Obtained From: cinnabar ore (not made with cinnamon)
What does it mean?
Transition metal - Any of the set of metallic elements occupying a central block
Alloy - Noun - A metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion.
Verb - Mix (metals) to make an alloy.
Synonyms noun. admixture - mixture - verb. mix
Qín Shǐ Huáng Dì - The first Emperor of China
Mercury (God) - The Roman God of swiftness and trickery (also known as Hermes, the Greek form of Mercury)
Alloy - Noun - A metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion.
Verb - Mix (metals) to make an alloy.
Synonyms noun. admixture - mixture - verb. mix
Qín Shǐ Huáng Dì - The first Emperor of China
Mercury (God) - The Roman God of swiftness and trickery (also known as Hermes, the Greek form of Mercury)
Citations
Chemicool.com. "Mercury Element Facts." Chemicool.com. Chemicool.com, 17 Oct. 2012. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.
Bentor, Yinon. "Mercury." Chemical Elements. Com. Yinon Bentor, 2012. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.
Wikipedia. "Mercury." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, Apr.-May 2013 (last modified). Web. 25 Mar. 2013.
World Book. Inc. "Mercury." World Book M.13. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 413. Print.
Bentor, Yinon. "Mercury." Chemical Elements. Com. Yinon Bentor, 2012. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.
Wikipedia. "Mercury." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, Apr.-May 2013 (last modified). Web. 25 Mar. 2013.
World Book. Inc. "Mercury." World Book M.13. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 413. Print.