Mercury is the only metal that is a liquid at ordinary room temperatures. It is a bright shiny colour, and flows rapidly when poured out of a container (this is why it used to be called ‘quicksilver’). Mercury does not stick to glass, so it is used in thermometers to indicate the temperature.

               Mercury compounds are often brightly coloured and were once widely used in coloured paints. However, mercury is an extremely poisonous substance and its use is now strictly controlled. Some other uses of mercury are in the manufacture of batteries and in medicine. Dentists still use a mixture of mercury and silver, in the form of amalgam, to fill cavities in teeth.

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