science project!?

Question

what makes my element mercury have different properties from the 2 elements that are its "neighbors" on the periodic table. elements to the left and right-- except H
please help
i needd help for my project .

Answer 1

I guess your question is In the series Au-Hg-Tl, Why is Hg different?

Well, it's a different elemente for one thing in a differnet period of the table so it's going to have different chemical and pphysical properties.

Also Au is 5d10 with one electron missing from the d orbital. It is perhaps this lack of electron that give gold it's more solid form than Hg which is also 5d10 with filled d orbital - less dipole induced dipole interactions due to a less polar atom - may lead to it's liquid nature.

Thallium is totally different is 5d10 6p1. It has a electron in a p orbital. It is much more reactive that Hg and Au (as you'd expect), as well as the dipole-dipole interactions - to make it solid.

Answer 2

First, it is a liquid at room temperature. Second, it is a "silvery white" metal, whereas neighbor gold is "the yellow metal." I think that the success of your project will depend on what are called "relativistic calculations" for the properties of mercury (and gold!). You should explain why mercury is a liquid, and give 'em an extra fillip about why gold is yellow.

The key word, key person you need in your researches is a Prof. Schmidbauer of Germany (I don't know if he is even still alive, but there is a key word).

The core of the argument is that the two K-electrons (1s) are for some reason unshielded from the full blast of the 80 protons in the nucleus of mercury (not to mention the 79 protons of gold). Because the K- (1s-) electrons of these elements have to travel at fantastic speeds to keep from being pulled into their nuclei, their speeds are about 1/10 the speed of light. This causes the electrons to assume much larger masses than they would ordinarily have. (Something traveling the speed of light would have infinite mass.) The influence of these massive inner electrons on all the other electrons in the mercury (and gold) atoms give rise to the unusual properties of these elements.

I feel confident that you will create a magnificent project. If your project were not for a "family audience," I would suggest the title, "Mercury Sucks!"