Hg Mercury
Element Information, Facts, Properties, Trends, Uses, Comparison with other elements
Mercury is a chemical element with symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is commonly known as quicksilver and was formerly named hydrargyrum (/haɪˈdrɑːrdʒərəm/). A heavy, silvery d-block element, mercury is the only metallic element that is liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure; the only other element that is liquid under these conditions is bromine, though metals such as caesium, gallium, and rubidium melt just above room temperature.
It belongs to group 12 of the periodic table having trivial name volatile metals.
Mercury Facts
Read key information and facts about element Mercury
| Name | Mercury |
| Atomic Number | 80 |
| Atomic Symbol | Hg |
| Atomic Weight | 200.59 |
| Phase | Liquid |
| Color | Silver |
| Appearance | silvery |
| Classification | Transition Metal |
| Group in Periodic Table | 12 |
| Group Name | zinc family |
| Period in Periodic Table | period 6 |
| Block in Periodic Table | d -block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 2 |
| Melting Point | 234.32 K |
| Boiling Point | 629.88 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7439-97-6 |
How to Locate Mercury on Periodic Table
Periodic table is arranged by atomic number, number of protons in the nucleus which is same as number of electrons. The atomic number increases from left to right. Periodic table starts at top left ( Atomic number 1) and ends at bottom right (atomic number 118). Therefore you can directly look for atomic number 80 to find Mercury on periodic table.
Another way to read periodic table and locate an element is by using group number (column) and period number (row). To locate Mercury on periodic table look for cross section of group 12 and period 6 in the modern periodic table.
Mercury History
The element Mercury was discovered by Indians/Chinese in year Before 2000 BCE . Mercury was first isolated by Egypt in 1500 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').
Known to ancient Chinese and Indians before 2000 BCE, and found in Egyptian tombs dating from 1500 BCE.
Mercury Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
The table below shows the abundance of Mercury in Universe, Sun, Meteorites, Earth's Crust, Oceans and Human Body.
| ppb by weight (1ppb =10^-7 %) | ppb by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %) | |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 1 | 0.006 |
| Abundance in Sun | 20 | 0.12 |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 250 | 20 |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 67 | 7 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 0.05 | 0.0015 |
| Abundance in Humans | - | - |
Crystal Structure of Mercury
The solid state structure of Mercury is Simple Trigonal.
The Crystal structure can be described in terms of its unit Cell. The unit Cells repeats itself in three dimensional space to form the structure.
Unit Cell Parameters
The unit cell is represented in terms of its lattice parameters, which are the lengths of the cell edges Lattice Constants (a, b and c)
| a | b | c |
|---|---|---|
| 300.5 pm | 300.5 pm | 300.5 pm |
and the angles between them Lattice Angles (alpha, beta and gamma).
| alpha | beta | gamma |
|---|---|---|
| 1.23081 | 1.23081 | 1.23081 |
The positions of the atoms inside the unit cell are described by the set of atomic positions ( xi, yi, zi) measured from a reference lattice point.
The symmetry properties of the crystal are described by the concept of space groups. All possible symmetric arrangements of particles in three-dimensional space are described by the 230 space groups (219 distinct types, or 230 if chiral copies are considered distinct.
| Space Group Name | R_ 3m |
| Space Group Number | 166 |
| Crystal Structure | Simple Trigonal |
| Number of atoms per unit cell |
The number of atoms per unit cell in a simple cubic, face-centered cubic and body-centred cubic are 1,4,2 respectively.
Mercury Atomic and Orbital Properties
Mercury atoms have 80 electrons and the electronic shell structure is [2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 2] with Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) 1S0.
| Atomic Number | 80 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 80 |
| Number of Protons | 80 |
| Mass Number | 201 |
| Number of Neutrons | 121 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 2 |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 |
| Valence Electrons | 5d10 6s2 |
| Valence (Valency) | 2 |
| Main Oxidation States | 1, 2 |
| Oxidation States | -2, 1, 2 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 1S0 |
Bohr Atomic Model of Mercury - Electrons per energy level
| n | s | p | d | f |
|---|
Ground State Electronic Configuration of Mercury - neutral Mercury atom
Abbreviated electronic configuration of Mercury
The ground state abbreviated electronic configuration of Neutral Mercury atom is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2. The portion of Mercury configuration that is equivalent to the noble gas of the preceding period, is abbreviated as [Xe]. For atoms with many electrons, this notation can become lengthy and so an abbreviated notation is used. This is important as it is the Valence electrons 5d10 6s2, electrons in the outermost shell that determine the chemical properties of the element.
Unabbreviated electronic configuration of neutral Mercury
Complete ground state electronic configuration for the Mercury atom, Unabbreviated electronic configuration
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 4f14 5d10 6s2
Electrons are filled in atomic orbitals as per the order determined by the Aufbau principle, Pauli Exclusion Principle and Hund’s Rule.
Atomic Structure of Mercury
Mercury atomic radius is 171 pm, while it's covalent radius is 149 pm.
| Atomic Radius Calculated | 171 pm (1.71 Å) |
| Atomic Radius Empirical | 150 pm (1.5 Å) |
| Atomic Volume | 14.09 cm3/mol |
| Covalent Radius | 149 pm (1.49 Å) |
| Van der Waals Radius | 155 pm |
| Neutron Cross Section | 374 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.063 |
Atomic Spectrum of Mercury
Mercury Chemical Properties: Mercury Ionization Energies and electron affinity
The electron affinity of Mercury is 0 kJ/mol.
| Valence | 2 |
| Electronegativity | 2 |
| ElectronAffinity | 0 kJ/mol |
Ionization Energy of Mercury
Refer to table below for Ionization energies of Mercury
| Ionization energy number | Enthalpy - kJ/mol |
|---|---|
| 1st | 1007.1 |
| 2nd | 1810 |
| 3rd | 3300 |
Mercury Physical Properties
Refer to below table for Mercury Physical Properties
| Density | 13.534 g/cm3(when liquid at m.p density is $13.534 g/cm3) |
| Molar Volume | 14.09 cm3/mol |
Elastic Properties
| Young Modulus | - |
| Shear Modulus | - |
| Bulk Modulus | 25 GPa |
| Poisson Ratio | - |
Hardness of Mercury - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element
| Mohs Hardness | - |
| Vickers Hardness | - |
| Brinell Hardness | - |
Mercury Electrical Properties
Mercury is Conductor of electricity. Refer to table below for the Electrical properties ofMercury
| Electrical Conductivity | 1000000 S/m |
| Resistivity | 9.6e-7 m Ω |
| Superconducting Point | 4.154 |
Mercury Heat and Conduction Properties
| Thermal Conductivity | 8.3 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | - |
Mercury Magnetic Properties
| Magnetic Type | Diamagnetic |
| Curie Point | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | -2.1e-9 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | -4.21e-10 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | -0.0000284 |
Optical Properties of Mercury
| Refractive Index | 1.000933 |
Acoustic Properties of Mercury
| Speed of Sound | 1407 m/s |
Mercury Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
Refer to table below for Thermal properties of Mercury
| Melting Point | 234.32 K (-38.83°C, -37.89399999999998 °F) |
| Boiling Point | 629.88 K (356.73°C, 674.114 °F) |
| Critical Temperature | 1750 K |
| Superconducting Point | 4.154 |
Enthalpies of Mercury
| Heat of Fusion | 2.29 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 59.2 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - |
Mercury Isotopes - Nuclear Properties of Mercury
Mercury has 40 isotopes, with between 171 and 210 nucleons. Mercury has 7 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
Isotopes of Mercury - Naturally occurring stable Isotopes: 196Hg, 198Hg, 199Hg, 200Hg, 201Hg, 202Hg, 204Hg.
| Isotope | Z | N | Isotope Mass | % Abundance | T half | Decay Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 171Hg | 80 | 91 | 171 | Synthetic | ||
| 172Hg | 80 | 92 | 172 | Synthetic | ||
| 173Hg | 80 | 93 | 173 | Synthetic | ||
| 174Hg | 80 | 94 | 174 | Synthetic | ||
| 175Hg | 80 | 95 | 175 | Synthetic | ||
| 176Hg | 80 | 96 | 176 | Synthetic | ||
| 177Hg | 80 | 97 | 177 | Synthetic | ||
| 178Hg | 80 | 98 | 178 | Synthetic | ||
| 179Hg | 80 | 99 | 179 | Synthetic | ||
| 180Hg | 80 | 100 | 180 | Synthetic | ||
| 181Hg | 80 | 101 | 181 | Synthetic | ||
| 182Hg | 80 | 102 | 182 | Synthetic | ||
| 183Hg | 80 | 103 | 183 | Synthetic | ||
| 184Hg | 80 | 104 | 184 | Synthetic | ||
| 185Hg | 80 | 105 | 185 | Synthetic | ||
| 186Hg | 80 | 106 | 186 | Synthetic | ||
| 187Hg | 80 | 107 | 187 | Synthetic | ||
| 188Hg | 80 | 108 | 188 | Synthetic | ||
| 189Hg | 80 | 109 | 189 | Synthetic | ||
| 190Hg | 80 | 110 | 190 | Synthetic | ||
| 191Hg | 80 | 111 | 191 | Synthetic | ||
| 192Hg | 80 | 112 | 192 | Synthetic | ||
| 193Hg | 80 | 113 | 193 | Synthetic | ||
| 194Hg | 80 | 114 | 194 | Synthetic | ||
| 195Hg | 80 | 115 | 195 | Synthetic | ||
| 196Hg | 80 | 116 | 196 | 0.15% | Stable | N/A |
| 197Hg | 80 | 117 | 197 | Synthetic | ||
| 198Hg | 80 | 118 | 198 | 9.97% | Stable | N/A |
| 199Hg | 80 | 119 | 199 | 16.87% | Stable | N/A |
| 200Hg | 80 | 120 | 200 | 23.1% | Stable | N/A |
| 201Hg | 80 | 121 | 201 | 13.18% | Stable | |
| 202Hg | 80 | 122 | 202 | 29.86% | Stable | N/A |
| 203Hg | 80 | 123 | 203 | Synthetic | ||
| 204Hg | 80 | 124 | 204 | 6.87% | Stable | N/A |
| 205Hg | 80 | 125 | 205 | Synthetic | ||
| 206Hg | 80 | 126 | 206 | Synthetic | ||
| 207Hg | 80 | 127 | 207 | Synthetic | ||
| 208Hg | 80 | 128 | 208 | Synthetic | ||
| 209Hg | 80 | 129 | 209 | Synthetic | ||
| 210Hg | 80 | 130 | 210 | Synthetic |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
Database Search
List of unique identifiers to search the element in various chemical registry databases
| Database | Identifier number |
|---|---|
| CAS Number - Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) | CAS7439-97-6 |
| RTECS Number | RTECSOV4550000 |
| CID Number | CID23931 |
| Gmelin Number | - |
| NSC Number | - |
Compare Mercury with other elements
Compare Mercury with all Group 12 elements
Compare Mercury with all Period 6 elements
Compare Mercury with all Transition Metal elements
FAQs
What is the electronic configuration of Mercury?
The electronic configuration of Mercury is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 4f14 5d10 6s2.
What is the abbreviated electronic configuration of Mercury?
The abbreviated electronic configuration of Mercury is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2. To form abbreviated notation of electronic configuration, the completely filled subshells are replaced by the noble gas of the preceding period in square brackets.
What is the symbol of Mercury?
Symbol of Mercury is Hg. Mercury is a chemical element with symbol Hg and atomic number 80.
What is the position of Mercury in the Periodic Table?
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. Mercury is the 80 element on the periodic table. It is located in group 12 and period 6 in the modern periodic table.
What is the atomic number of Mercury?
The atomic number of Mercury is 80.
What is the color of Mercury?
Mercury is of Silver color.
Who discovered Mercury?
The element Mercury was discovered by Indians/Chinese in year Before 2000 BCE . Mercury was first isolated by Egypt in 1500 BCE.
How many valence electrons does a Mercury atom have?
Mercury has 2 valence electrons. Mercury has 80 electrons out of which 2 valence electrons are present in the 5d10 6s2 outer orbitals of atom.
What is the melting Point of Mercury?
Melting Point of Mercury is 234.32 K.
What is the boiling Point of Mercury?
Boiling Point of Mercury is 629.88 K.
What is the melting Point of Mercury in Kelvin?
Melting Point of Mercury in Kelvin is 234.32 K.
What is the boiling Point of Mercury in Kelvin?
Boiling Point of Mercury in Kelvin is 629.88 K.
What is the electronic configuration of Mercury 80?
The electronic configuration of Mercury will be 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 4f14 5d10 6s2.
How do you write the electron configuration for Mercury?
The electronic configuration of Mercury will be 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 4f14 5d10 6s2.