What compounds is mercury used in?
Mercury compounds have many uses. Calomel (mercurous chloride, Hg2Cl2) is used as a standard in electrochemical measurements and in medicine as a purgative. Mercuric chloride (corrosive sublimate, HgCl2) is used as an insecticide, in rat poison, and as a disinfectant. Mercuric oxide is used in skin ointments.
Is mercury a compound or element?
Elemental mercury is an element that has not reacted with another substance. When mercury reacts with another substance, it forms a compound, such as inorganic mercury salts or methylmercury.
What form of mercury is in thermometer?
Elemental mercury
Elemental mercury is liquid at room temperature. It is used in some thermometers, dental amalgams, fluorescent light bulbs, some electrical switches, mining, and some industrial processes. It is released into the air when coal and other fossil fuels are burned.
What is the use of mercury element?
Although many liquids could be used in pressure measuring devices, mercury is used because its high density requires less space. It is also a good conductor of electricity, so it is a useful component of electrical switches. Mercury is also used in dental fillings, paints, soaps, batteries, and fluorescent lighting.
Why is mercury element called mercury?
The name mercury originated in 6th-century alchemy, in which the symbol of the planet was used to represent the metal; the chemical symbol Hg derives from the Latin hydrargyrum, “liquid silver.” Although its toxicity was recognized at an early date, its main application was for medical purposes.
When was mercury used as medicine?
Mercury was in use by the early 16th century, and remained the primary treatment for syphilis until the early 20th century. Syphilis led to stigmatizing disfigurations that were treated with surgery, including pioneering attempts in rhinoplasty.
When was mercury used in thermometers?
The application of mercury (1714) and Fahrenheit scale (1724) for liquid-in-glass thermometers ushered in a new era of accuracy and precision in thermometry, and in 1966 was regarded as one of the most accurate thermometers available.
Why is mercury used in scientific instruments?
Mercury is used in many scientific instruments such as thermometers and barometers. Due to its electrical conductivity it is used to make silent switches, while its vapor form makes it useful in streetlights and fluorescent lamps.
What is mercury used for in gold mining?
In mines, mercury is used to recover minute pieces of gold that is mixed in soil and sediments. Mercury and gold settle and combine together to form an amalgam. Gold is then extracted by vaporizing the mercury.
What was mercury used for medicinally?
Most important was mercury when the outbreak of syphilis appeared in Europe at the end of the 15th century. The Arabian quicksilver ointment was remembered and used for the treatment of syphilis, but the treatment also included pills and ointments of sublimate and calomel (Hg2Cl2).
What does mercury do in a thermometer?
In a mercury thermometer, a glass tube is filled with mercury and a standard temperature scale is marked on the tube. With changes in temperature, the mercury expands and contracts, and the temperature can be read from the scale. Mercury thermometers can be used to determine body, liquid, and vapor temperature.
What is inside a thermometer?
What Liquid Is Inside a Thermometer? Liquids. The first thermometers manufactured contained water but the fact that water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit… Identification. You can identify the liquid in a thermometer based on its color. Silver liquid indicates that the… Function. The liquid in a
What is liquid inside a thermometer?
The level of the liquid in the column corresponds to a specific temperature, which is marked on the outside of the glass. The liquid that is contained within the thermometer may be one of many different substances, but the most common are mercury, toluene (or a similar organic substance), and low-hazard biodegradable liquids .
What is red liquid in thermometer?
“The red liquid inside of a thermometer is alcohol. When the temperature changes, the alcohol expands, providing a reading based on the thermometer’s scale. Red dye is used to color the clear alcohol so that someone is able to easily read the thermometer.”. As mentioned, mercury is no longer used in domestic thermometers.