Compare Lead vs Mercury: Periodic Table Element Comparison Table and Properties
Compare the elements Lead and Mercury on the basis of their properties, attributes and periodic table facts. Compare elements - Lead and Mercury comparison table side by side across over 90 properties. All the elements of similar categories show a lot of similarities and differences in their chemical, atomic, physical properties and uses. These similarities and dissimilarities should be known while we study periodic table elements. You can study the detailed comparison between Lead vs Mercury with most reliable information about their properties, attributes, facts, uses etc. You can compare Pb vs Hg on more than 90 properties like electronegativity, oxidation state, atomic shells, orbital structure, Electronaffinity, physical states, electrical conductivity and many more. This in-depth comparison helps students, educators, researchers, and science enthusiasts understand the differences and similarities between Lead and Mercury.
Lead and Mercury Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison between Lead (Pb) and Mercury (Hg), focusing on their position in the periodic table, physical and chemical properties, stability, and uses.
Facts - Basic Element Details
| Name | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 82 | 80 |
| Atomic Symbol | Pb | Hg |
| Atomic Weight | 207.2 | 200.59 |
| Phase at STP | Solid | Liquid |
| Color | SlateGray | Silver |
| Metallic Classification | Post Transition Metal | Transition Metal |
| Group in Periodic Table | group 14 | group 12 |
| Group Name | carbon family | zinc family |
| Period in Periodic Table | period 6 | period 6 |
| Block in Periodic Table | p -block | d -block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p2 | [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 4 | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 2 |
| Melting Point | 600.61 K | 234.32 K |
| Boiling Point | 2022 K | 629.88 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7439-92-1 | CAS7439-97-6 |
| Neighborhood Elements | Neighborhood Elements of Lead | Neighborhood Elements of Mercury |
History
| Parameter | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| History | The element Lead was discovered by Africans in year 7000 BCE. Lead derived its name from English word (plumbum in Latin). | The element Mercury was discovered by Indians/Chinese in year Before 2000 BCE. Mercury derived its name from the New Latin name mercurius, named after the Roman god (Hg from former name hydrargyrum, from Greek hydr-, 'water', and argyros, 'silver'). |
| Discovery | Africans (7000 BCE) | Indians/Chinese (Before 2000 BCE) |
| Isolated | Abydos, Egypt (3800 BCE) | Egypt (1500 BCE) |
Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
Parts per billion (ppb) by weight / by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %)
| Property | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 10 / 0.06 | 1 / 0.006 |
| Abundance in Sun | 10 / 0.07 | 20 / 0.12 |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 1400 / 100 | 250 / 20 |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 10000 / 1000 | 67 / 7 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 0.03 / 0.00090 | 0.05 / 0.0015 |
| Abundance in Humans | 1700 / 50 | - / - |
Crystal Structure and Atomic Structure
| Property | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Volume | 18.27 cm3/mol | 14.09 cm3/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 154 pm | 171 pm |
| Covalent Radius | 147 pm | 149 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | 202 pm | 155 pm |
Atomic Spectrum - Spectral Lines | ||
| Emission Spectrum |  |  |
| Absorption Spectrum |  |  |
| Lattice Constant | 495.08, 495.08, 495.08 pm | 300.5, 300.5, 300.5 pm |
| Lattice Angle | π/2, π/2, π/2 | 1.23081, 1.23081, 1.23081 |
| Space Group Name | Fm_ 3m | R_ 3m |
| Space Group Number | 225 | 166 |
| Crystal Structure | Face Centered Cubic  | Simple Trigonal  |
Atomic and Orbital Properties
| Property | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 82 | 80 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 82 | 80 |
| Number of Protons | 82 | 80 |
| Mass Number | 207.2 | 200.59 |
| Number of Neutrons | 125 | 121 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 4 | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 2 |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p2 | [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 |
| Valence Electrons | 6s2 6p2 | 5d10 6s2 |
| Oxidation State | 2, 4 | 1, 2 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 3P0 | 1S0 |
| Shell structure |  |  |
Isotopes and Nuclear Properties
Lead has 4 stable naturally occuring isotopes while Mercury has 7 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
| Parameter | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Known Isotopes | 178Pb, 179Pb, 180Pb, 181Pb, 182Pb, 183Pb, 184Pb, 185Pb, 186Pb, 187Pb, 188Pb, 189Pb, 190Pb, 191Pb, 192Pb, 193Pb, 194Pb, 195Pb, 196Pb, 197Pb, 198Pb, 199Pb, 200Pb, 201Pb, 202Pb, 203Pb, 204Pb, 205Pb, 206Pb, 207Pb, 208Pb, 209Pb, 210Pb, 211Pb, 212Pb, 213Pb, 214Pb, 215Pb | 171Hg, 172Hg, 173Hg, 174Hg, 175Hg, 176Hg, 177Hg, 178Hg, 179Hg, 180Hg, 181Hg, 182Hg, 183Hg, 184Hg, 185Hg, 186Hg, 187Hg, 188Hg, 189Hg, 190Hg, 191Hg, 192Hg, 193Hg, 194Hg, 195Hg, 196Hg, 197Hg, 198Hg, 199Hg, 200Hg, 201Hg, 202Hg, 203Hg, 204Hg, 205Hg, 206Hg, 207Hg, 208Hg, 209Hg, 210Hg |
| Stable Isotopes | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 204Pb, 206Pb, 207Pb, 208Pb | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 196Hg, 198Hg, 199Hg, 200Hg, 201Hg, 202Hg, 204Hg |
| Neutron Cross Section | 0.171 | 374 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.00003 | 0.063 |
Chemical Properties: Ionization Energies and electron affinity
| Property | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Valence or Valency | 4 | 2 |
| Electronegativity | 2.33 Pauling Scale | 2 Pauling Scale |
| Oxidation State | 2, 4 | 1, 2 |
| Electron Affinity | 35.1 kJ/mol | 0 kJ/mol |
| Ionization Energies | 1st: 715.6 kJ/mol 2nd: 1450.5 kJ/mol 3rd: 3081.5 kJ/mol 4th: 4083 kJ/mol 5th: 6640 kJ/mol | 1st: 1007.1 kJ/mol 2nd: 1810 kJ/mol 3rd: 3300 kJ/mol |
Physical Properties
Lead (11.34 g/cm³) is less dense than Mercury (13.534 g/cm³). This means that a given volume of Mercury will be heavier than the same volume of Lead. Mercury is about 19.3 denser than Lead
| Property | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Solid | Liquid |
| Color | SlateGray | Silver |
| Density | 11.34 g/cm3 | 13.534 g/cm3 |
| Density (when liquid (at melting point)) | 10.66 g/cm3 | 13.534 g/cm3 |
| Molar Volume | 18.27 cm3/mol | 14.09 cm3/mol |
Mechanical and Hardness Properties
| Property | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
Elastic Properties | ||
| Young Modulus | 16 | - |
| Shear Modulus | 5.6 GPa | - |
| Bulk Modulus | 46 GPa | 25 GPa |
| Poisson Ratio | 0.44 | - |
Hardness - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element | ||
| Mohs Hardness | 1.5 MPa | - |
| Vickers Hardness | - | - |
| Brinell Hardness | 38.3 MPa | - |
Thermal and Electrical Conductivity
| Property | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
Heat and Conduction Properties | ||
| Thermal Conductivity | 35 W/(m K) | 8.3 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | 0.0000289 /K | - |
Electrical Properties | ||
| Electrical Conductivity | 4800000 S/m | 1000000 S/m |
| Resistivity | 2.1e-7 m Ω | 9.6e-7 m Ω |
| Superconducting Point | 7.2 | 4.154 |
Magnetic and Optical Properties
| Property | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
Magnetic Properties | ||
| Magnetic Type | Diamagnetic | Diamagnetic |
| Curie Point | - | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | -1.5e-9 m3/kg | -2.1e-9 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | -3.11e-10 m3/mol | -4.21e-10 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | -0.000017 | -0.0000284 |
Optical Properties | ||
| Refractive Index | - | 1.000933 |
Acoustic Properties | ||
| Speed of Sound | 1260 m/s | 1407 m/s |
Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
| Property | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Melting Point | 600.61 K | 234.32 K |
| Boiling Point | 2022 K | 629.88 K |
| Critical Temperature | - | 1750 K |
| Superconducting Point | 7.2 | 4.154 |
Enthalpies | ||
| Heat of Fusion | 4.77 kJ/mol | 2.29 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 178 kJ/mol | 59.2 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - | - |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
| Parameter | Lead | Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Number | CAS7439-92-1 | CAS7439-97-6 |
| RTECS Number | RTECSOF7525000 | RTECSOV4550000 |
| DOT Hazard Class | - | 8 |
| DOT Numbers | 3077 | 2809 |
| EU Number | - | - |
| NFPA Fire Rating | 0 | 0 |
| NFPA Health Rating | 2 | 3 |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | 0 | 0 |
| NFPA Hazards | - | - |
| AutoIgnition Point | - | - |
| Flashpoint | - | - |
Compare Lead and Mercury With Other Elements
Compare Lead and Mercury with other elements of the periodic table. Explore howLead and Mercury stack up against other elements of the periodic table. Use our interactive comparison tool to analyze 90+ properties across different metals, non-metals, metalloids, and noble gases. Understanding these differences is crucial for applications in engineering, chemistry, electronics, biology, and material science.