Mercury has always been surrounded by mysteries. From ancient times, people had been intrigued by its dubious form and ambiguous nature. Mercury is a metal in liquid form. Alchemists thought that mercury was the primordial matter from which all other metals originated. They even believed that mercury could be turned into gold by chemical experimentation.
The metal is the heaviest liquid in the world. The liquid element is easily obtained and fascinating to look at -no wonder people thought it was magical. It’s found in every living thing; and is, therefore, in every mouthful of food we eat.
Mercury is also called quicksilver because it is silvery, and moves about quickly, without getting stuck to the surface.
Mercury is extracted by heating cinnabar, a red mineral. This is most abundant in Spain, Russia and China.
All forms of mercury are dangerous. However, methyl mercury is the most poisonous variant. Once valued as a medicine, mercury is now proven to be a deadly toxin. Mercury’s atomic number is 80, and it is represented as Hg.
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