2006-07-21 07:23:29 · 3 answers · asked by alruiz_perez 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Is liquid at atmospheric pressure and room temperature because its interatomic forces are by incident of the size to be liquid. But of course you can freeze it or solidify it by higher pressure. I have seen this type of behaviour more impressive fom the element Gallium, which looks and behaves like mercury in summertime and in wintertime is solid.
In nature mercury can be found as its sulfide named zinnober or as its oxide. By applying heat you can decompose them and catch the mercury as condensing liquid. As far as I remember from school zinnober occurs in Spain in the Rio Tinto valley.
2006-07-21 07:57:13 · answer #1 · answered by consultant_rom 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Mercury is a liquid at room temperature because the "relativistic contraction" of its atomic orbitals and its found in the earths crust.
2006-07-21 07:33:42 · answer #2 · answered by mark corr 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why is a difficult question to answer. It is amazing stuff that defies conventional logic. It is found mostly as oxides, in a solid mineral form called cinnabar.
2006-07-21 08:10:55 · answer #3 · answered by Favoured 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋