Mercury

Mercury - Hg

CAS: 7439-97-6
Description: Silver-colored liquid metal
Classification: Transition Metal
Date of Discovery: Known to the ancients
Discoverer: Unknown
Name Origin: Planet Mercury
Symbol Origin: Latin hydrargyrum "liquid silver"

Atomic Number: 80
Number of Neutrons: 121
Atomic Mass: 200.59(2) amu
Melting Point: -38.8344 °C
Boiling Point: 356.73 °C
Density (293 K): 13.546 g/cm³
Atomic volume: 14.82 cm³/mol
Electrical resistivity: 0.0104 10^-6/cm

Thermal conductivity: 0.0834 W/cmK
Enthalpy of atomization: 61.5 kJ/mol
Enthalpy of vaporization: 59.229 kJ/mol
Enthalpy of fusion: 2.295 kJ/mol
Specific heat capacity: 0.139 J/gK

Energy levels: 2-8-18-32-18-2
Electron configuration: [Xe]4f ¹⁴5d¹⁰6s²
Crystal Structure: Rhombohedral
Atomic radius: 1.76 Å
Covalent radius: 1.49 Å
Oxidation States: +1, +2
Electronegativity, Pauling: 2.0
Electron affinity: not stable
First ionization energy: 10.437 eV
2nd ionization energy: 18.759 eV
3rd ionization energy: 34.202 eV
Polarizability: 5.7 10^-24cm³

Isotope	Natural Abundance	Atomic Mass	Half-life	Decay Mode	Spin
¹⁷⁵Hg	174.9912	0.02 s
¹⁷⁶Hg	175.98733	0.03 s
¹⁷⁷Hg	176.9863	0.13 s
¹⁷⁸Hg	177.98248	0.26 s	EC;	0+
¹⁷⁹Hg	178.9818	1.09 s	EC;
¹⁸⁰Hg	179.9783	2.6 s	EC;	0+
¹⁸¹Hg	180.9778	3.6 s	⁺;	(1/2-)
¹⁸²Hg	181.9739	10.8 s	⁺;	0+
¹⁸³Hg	182.9744	9 s	⁺;	1/2-
¹⁸⁴Hg	183.9719	30.9 s	⁺, EC;	0+
^185mHg	21 s	⁺, EC, IT,	13/2+
¹⁸⁵Hg	184.9720	51 s	⁺, EC	1/2-
¹⁸⁶Hg	185.9695	1.4 m	⁺, EC;	0+
^187mHg	1.7 m	⁺, EC	13/2+
¹⁸⁷Hg	186.9698	2.4 m	⁺, EC	3/2-
¹⁸⁸Hg	187.9676	3.2 m	⁺;	0+
^189mHg	8.6 m	EC	13/2+
¹⁸⁹Hg	188.9687	7.6 m	EC	3/2-
¹⁹⁰Hg	189.9663	20.0 m	EC	0+
^191mHg	51 m	⁺; EC	13/2-
¹⁹¹Hg	190.9671	50 m	⁺; EC	(3/2-)
¹⁹²Hg	191.9653	5.0 h	EC	0+
^193mHg	11.8 h	⁺; IT	13/2+
¹⁹³Hg	192.96664	3.8 h	EC, ⁺	3/2-
¹⁹⁴Hg	193.96538	520 y	EC	0+
^195mHg	1.67 d	IT; EC	13/2+
¹⁹⁵Hg	194.96664	9.5 h	EC	1/2-
¹⁹⁶Hg	0.15(1)	195.965814	Stable	0+
^197mHg	23.8 h	IT	13/2+
¹⁹⁷Hg	196.967195	2.672 d	EC	1/2-
¹⁹⁸Hg	9.97(8)	197.966752	Stable	0+
^199mHg	42.6 m	IT	13/2+
¹⁹⁹Hg	16.87(10)	198.968262	Stable	1/2-
²⁰⁰Hg	23.10(16)	199.968309	Stable	0+
²⁰¹Hg	13.18(8)	200.970285	Stable	3/2-
²⁰²Hg	29.86(20)	201.970625	Stable	0+
²⁰³Hg	202.972857	46.61 d	^-	5/2-
²⁰⁴Hg	6.87(4)	203.973475	Stable	0+
²⁰⁵Hg	204.976056	5.2 m	^-	1/2-
²⁰⁶Hg	205.97750	8.2 m	^-	0+
²⁰⁷Hg	206.9825	2.9 m	^-	(9/2+)
²⁰⁸Hg	0.7 h	^-
Known to ancient Chinese and Hindus; found in Egyptian tombs of 1500 B.C. Mercury is the only common metal liquid at ordinary temperatures. It only rarely occurs free in nature. The chief ore is cinnabar (HgS). Spain and Italy produce about 50% of the world's supply of the metal. The commercial unit for handling mercury is the "flask," which weighs 76 lb (34.46 kg). The metal is obtained by heating cinnabar in a current of air and by condensing the vapor. It is a heavy, silvery-white metal; a rather poor conductor of heat, as compared with other metals, and a fair conductor of electricity. It easily forms alloys with many metals, such as gold, silver, and tin, which are called amalgams. Its ease in amalgamating with gold is made use of in the recovery of gold from its ores. The metal is widely used in laboratory work for making thermometers, barometers, diffusion pumps, and many other instruments. It is used in making mercury-vapor lamps and advertising signs, etc. and is used in mercury switches and other electrical apparatus. Other uses are in making pesticides, mercury cells for caustic soda and chlorine production, dental preparations, antifouling paint, batteries, and catalysts. The most important salts are mercuric chloride HgCl₂ (corrosive sublimate - a violent poison), mercurous chloride Hg₂Cl₂ (calomel, occasionally still used in medicine), mercury fulminate (Hg(ONC)₂), a detonator widely used in explosives, and mercuric sulfide (HgS, vermillion, a high-grade paint pigment). Organic mercury compounds are important. It has been found that an electrical discharge causes mercury vapor to combine with neon, argon, krypton, and xenon. These products, held together with van der Waals' forces, correspond to HgNe, HgAr, HgKr, and HgXe. Mercury is a virulent poison and is readily absorbed through the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract, or through unbroken skin. It acts as a cumulative poison and dangerous levels are readily attained in air. Air saturated with mercury vapor at 20 °C contains a concentration that exceeds the toxic limit many times. The danger increases at higher temperatures. It is therefore important that mercury be handled with care. Containers of mercury should be securely covered and spillage should be avoided. If it is necessary to heat mercury or mercury compounds, it should be done in a well-ventilated hood. Methyl mercury is a dangerous pollutant and is now widely found in water and streams. The triple point of mercury, -38.8344 °C, is a fixed point on the International Temperature Scale (ITS-90). Native mercury contains seven isotopes. Thirty-five other isotopes and isomers are known. LINKS: Amalgam - Fact and Fiction Dental Amalgam Mercury Poisoning Mercury Page Mercury Poisoning, a Worry You Can Sink Teeth Into Native Mercury OSHA Chemical Sampling Information - Mercury Return Sources for the information on this website include: Lide, David R., ed. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 78th Ed., 1997-1998.

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