Does mercury burn?

Answer 1

"Burning" is not exactly a precisely defined technical term. Generally though, "burning" is taken to mean a reaction between a substance and oxygen that takes place relatively quickly and a releases a lot of heat.

Typically we think of an organic substance (gasoline, wood, propane) burning in air, but many other substances can burn. Magnesium ribbon burns spectacularly in air for instance. My guess is that a mist of mercury droplets sprayed into a *very* hot, pure oxygen atmosphere would probably burn nicely.

SAFETY NOTE: Mercury (and many of its compounds) are *very* toxic. Also, heating mercury releases mercury vapor into the air.

Answer 2

Burning Mercury

Answer 3

By the way, as a generalization of your question, all metals burn. That is all metals combine with oxygen to make oxides. All metals also do something similar called "oxydation", which, despite its name, does not always mean it is combining with oxygen. Rather it means it is losing electrons. When mercury "burns" it is being oxidized. It can oxidize with oxygen but it can also oxidize with sulfur and other non-metals.

Mercury was a metal that fascinated early chemists and alchemists and was useful in some early work on explaining what air was and what happens when things burn. Antoine Lavoisier, sometimes called the father of chemistry, used to burn mercury in a closed container containing air and mercury and produced HgO, a bright red powder. The part of the air that didn't combine with mercury he called azotes, (not life), because nothing could live in it. We call it "nitrogen" in English, because it was found by the early chemists to generate Nitric acid.

If you work with mercury be aware that it is a highly toxic metal and its compounds are ALL hightly toxic and very painful. It can cause permanent and irreversable harm to your body.

Answer 4

Anything will burn if you get it hot enough to oxidize rapidly. This means it would catch fire. If you mean could Mercury give you a burn, the answer is yes, if you heat it up hot enough. It has a boiling point of 674 degrees F, so it could burn you badly if heated. Mercury fulminate (Hg(ONC)2) is used as a detonator in explosives.

Answer 5

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RE:
Does mercury burn?

Answer 6

Yes, if you convert it to a vapor and use an oxygen atmosphere. Then you can actually see a flame made of mercury oxidizing. This takes high temperatures and dangerous chemicals though. It forms red mercuric oxide in the process, a highly toxic compound.

In years past, heating red mercuric oxide was the simplest way to make oxygen, as it then converts back to mercury metal and oxygen gas.

Answer 7

I'm not surprised that you don't remember the mercury flame test. Do you think that it is a good idea to be burning an element in a laboratory that has a pretty toxic vapour? Flame tests are carried out using a ni-chrome or platinum wire - have you thought about the logistics of getting mercury to adhere to one of theses wires?

Answer 8

All substances that react with O2 to release energy can be termed as capable of burning. Yes, mecury can burn, however the amount of energy released is not significant as mecury does not readily react with O2. Mercuric Oxide the the result of mecury burning. If you try to burn mecury on a bunsen burner, you will not observe much as the result will be mostly in gaseous form. Be carefull if you try because mercuric oxide is highly poisonous.

Answer 9

Yes, it burns. Mercury reacts in air at about 350°C to form mercury(II) oxide.

2Hg(s) + O2(g) → 2HgO(s)


But do not try this at home!!!

Answer 10

mercury burns in form of HgO, mercuric oxide.
Upon heating, oxygen will be released.


2HgO----) 2Hg + O2