Questions tagged [mercury]

For questions pertaining to the unique physical, nuclear, and chemical properties of mercury.

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Emission Spectra Light Wavelength Deviations for Mercury

The Problem: Inconsistencies between the measured and true values of mercury's spectra light wavelengths emitted following a laboratory experiment. What I Know: The experiment conducted was viewing ...
Matt's user avatar
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1 answer
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Why Hg doesn’t form hydroxide?

In my textbook it was written that if you put alkali solution into Hg2+ solution you won't get Hg(OH)2 but you get HgO. And this is because Hg has high electronegativity and this makes polarization of ...
satoru kurita's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
419 views

Why is Hg2Cl2 less soluble in water than HgCl2?

I learned that $\ce{Hg2Cl2}$ is almost insoluble to hot water and $\ce{NH3}$ water in my textbook, but $\ce{HgCl2}$ dissolves well in water. I wanted to know the reason and searched for it. It's ...
satoru kurita's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
31 views

Salt extraction from water without affecting mercury concentration

I am looking to theoretically bio-analyze a water sample regarding its mercury concentration from both sea and lake water using a biosensor with an enzyme biorecognition element. However, a big issue ...
user121318's user avatar
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Small mercury spill [closed]

few weeks ago a thermometer for home use (temperature measuring) broke under our bed on our wood floor 11/18. We cleaned the spill using paper and safely removed it from the house. We ventilated ...
IRENA STOJANOSKA's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
903 views

Why does mercury(II) nitrate form only when using concentrated nitric acid?

In the reaction between mercury and nitric acid, mercury(II) nitrate only forms when concentrated nitric acid is heated up and added to it, if the acid is dilute, mercury(I) nitrate forms. I ...
Krys's user avatar
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1 answer
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On basic mercury salts

$\ce{HgCO3.3HgO}$ and $\ce{HgO.Hg(NH2)Cl}$ are called basic mercury carbonate and basic mercury amidochloride, respectively. I found this thread on the former; I've only seen the latter as the product ...
harry's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
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Toxicity of Mercury (II) Iodide and dicopper (I) tetraiodomercurate (II)

This is a continuation from my previous post. Could you please give me some info on the toxicity of compounds $\ce{HgI2}$ and $\ce{Cu2[HgI4]}$? I found on sigmaaldrich.com that these are very ...
AntonPeganov's user avatar
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Chemical properties of dicopper (I) tetraiodomercurate (II)

This is a continuation from my previous post. Where can I find information on the chemical properties of $\ce{Cu2[HgI4]}$? I found a mention that in reaction with $\ce{Na2S2O3}$ in presence of acid ...
AntonPeganov's user avatar
4 votes
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102 views

How to use Sodium Thiosulfate for fixing dicopper (I) tetraiodomercurate (II)?

DISCLAIMER DO NOT TRY TO DEMERCURATE USING DESCRIBED PROCEDURE. CONSULT YOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE. I found a discrepancy between a government-approved procedure of living quarters demercuration and the ...
AntonPeganov's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
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Cinnabar decomposition by heating optional method?

Is it possible to decompose cinnabar into $\ce{Hg}$ and $\ce{S}$ instead of $\ce{Hg + SO2}$ with roasting and heating. What conditions need to be satisfied in the new method?
Andrey's user avatar
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Does cinnabar react with iodine?

Does cinnabar react with bromine and iodine to form elemental sulphur? This reaction was described in "Explorations in the history of science and technology in China" but I have doubts...
Andrey's user avatar
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2 answers
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Confusion in barometer experiment

Now at A, there is pressure by mercury column which is nothing but it's weight. Then, at C there is pressure which is atmospheric pressure. Also, the density at A is more than at C. What they say ...
srijan Sri's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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Amalgamation involving an alloy [closed]

Just curious, would mercury form an amalgam with gold that is already part of an alloy, i.e a gold platinum alloy?
Ubun's user avatar
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8 votes
4 answers
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Is it safe to look at a mercury gas discharge tube? [closed]

As part of a chemistry course, I recently observed a demonstration in which the instructor electrified a mercury gas discharge tube (the tube looked something like this image). The glow from the tube ...
Jeff's user avatar
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Does mercury react with polycarbonate?

Looking around at various material compatibility charts, they seem quite divided on the compatibility of metallic mercury and polycarbonate. Some sources (here, here, or here) indicate that ...
loudaslife's user avatar
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Mercury thiocyanate synthesis

My friend and I are trying to synthesize mercury thiocyanate, however the only reagents we have access to are mercuric acetate and ammonium thiocyanate. We figured that we could possibly force a ...
Grace Keller's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
505 views

Why does an mercury ore exist as HgS?

Cinnabar($\ce{HgS}$) is one of the most common ores of mercury. Why does it not exist at $\ce{HgO}$ or some other such compound? Is there any reason for why it is so prevalent? Does it react less ...
sfsg's user avatar
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1 vote
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What is the inter-particle bonding in elemental mercury? [duplicate]

In most pure metals, there is metallic bonding where there exist positive monoatomic ions and a sea of electrons. Is this the same with mercury? If not, then in elemental (liquid) mercury, what kind ...
Meripadhai's user avatar
12 votes
3 answers
2k views

Can electrodes be made from mercury?

'Mercury' was included in one of the possible answers for this exam question: Name a metal that an inert electrode could be made from. My answer was 'platinum' which was also a possible answer, but ...
ATYB's user avatar
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Why are chelating ligands often used to treat poisoning by heavy metals (e.g. mercury, lead)?

Why are chelating ligands such as EDTA often used to treat poisoning by heavy metals (e.g., mercury, lead)? I have a vibe that it has something to do with the lone pairs of electrons that are able to ...
sophia's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
15k views

How much time liquid mercury takes to evaporate?

I asked before about a thermometer that I broke yesterday. To summarize, I broke a mercury thermometer in my bedroom, which is a place where is difficult to have sure that I get rid of all mercury, ...
Mycroft's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
898 views

How to switch Mercury-vapor lamp between UVA and UVC bands? [closed]

I have Mercury-vapor lamp emitting UV light. I am looking for the nice solution to cut off spectral lines for UVA or UVC, to make it one day to generate ozone and another day to use it for ...
a a's user avatar
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1 answer
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Why is gas pressure measured in mmHg?

Pressure can be measured in $\pu{mmHg}$ which is equal to the pressure exerted by a “column of mercury” of a height expressed in $\pu{mm},$ at $\pu{0 °C}$ under Earth’s normal gravity. Does the ...
Cotton Headed Ninnymuggins's user avatar
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1 answer
149 views

Cadmium Selenide, Cadmium Sulfide, Cinnabar and Lead Oxide toxicity

I have a question about the toxicity of the pigments Cadmium Selenide (Cadmium Red), Cadmium Sulfide (Cadmium Yellow), Mercury Sulfide (Cinnabar or Vermillion) and Lead Oxide (Lead White). Not long ...
iliar's user avatar
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Mercury bulb on spirit thermometer?

I recently broke a Quickfit distillation thermometer and the bulb had liquid metal in it. I assumed it's mercury and acted accordingly. However, the column looks like spirit filled (blue liquid). Has ...
Vlad's user avatar
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1 vote
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49 views

How is mercury in drinking water detected? [closed]

A document I've been reading states that: Both the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal and the Maximum Contaminant Level were set at 2 parts per billion because current technology allows public water ...
user89362's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
454 views

How diphenylcarbazide is used to detect Mercury II ions?

Diphenylcarbazide is used in test strips for heavy metals detection in drinking water but I can't find much info on this reagent, apart from it's MSDS and a preparation for detecting Chromium VI ions, ...
qwertyIO's user avatar
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186 views

Accidental Dimethyl Mercury?

Need some help from chemists. All questions are hypothetical situations, I am not trying to synthesize this chemical. I am trying to understand its formation and reactions, And if certain chemical ...
Dan's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
2k views

How does liquid mercury conduct electricity? [closed]

It is stated that mercury is a liquid at STP because the high relativistic mass of its valence electrons stabilizes their orbits and thus prevents the electrons from being shared. If so, liquid ...
HJF's user avatar
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Obtaining mercury from mercury(II) nitrate

I was thinking about obtaining mercury from mercury(II) nitrate. Is it possible? I've tried putting chunks of Fe into it, I've got the logic from the voltaic table (where Fe is on the left side of Hg, ...
Godlixe's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Magnetic mercury

Well, since I'm not sure, quite simply: Is there a possible way (apart from running a current through in the presence of a perpendicular $\mathbf{B}$ field) to make a small mixture of mercury magnetic ...
Girts's user avatar
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-7 votes
1 answer
3k views

How was this fake red mercury video made? [closed]

I Found on web video make me wondering what the hack is this , how its even possible ,so any one know what is happen can explain to me please youtube video B_olJLjgcHc
david sed's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
2k views

What purpose does mercury dichloride have in fireworks?

My local newspaper ran an article covering the local rules about fireworks. One of those rules specifically calls out "snakes and fountains containing mercury bichloride" as forbidden. Neither ...
Mark's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
1k views

Is there a method to separate iron from mercury?

The mercury is contaminated with iron. Is there any way to remove iron from mercury?
Induja N's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
1k views

What happens when mixing elemental mercury with sodium hypochlorite solution [closed]

Say you spilled elemental mercury from a thermometer and used household bleach on it, what would be the reaction if any?
Giannis Blokoun's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
604 views

What makes dimethylmercury ((CH3)2Hg) so penetrative through latex and human skin?

I've read the story of Karen Wetterhahn and how she was poisoned and died from two drops of dimethylmercury that accidentally fell on her latex glove, and I was wondering what is the chemical ...
Don_S's user avatar
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3 votes
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39 views

Has Crabtree's photochemically-activated mercury-catalysed hydrocarbon activation process ever been used commercially?

In the 1980s, while searching for new hydrocarbon activation catalysts, Crabtree's research group accidentally found that mercury vapour activated photochemically could perform some interesting and ...
matt_black's user avatar
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