Turtledove
Advertisement

This article is about the chemical element. For the mythological god named Mercury, see Hermes

Mercury

Mercury at room temperature.

Mercury, also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum, is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. A heavy, silvery d-block metal, mercury is one of six chemical elements that are liquid at or near room temperature and pressure, and is the only metal that is liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure. With a melting point of −38.83 °C and boiling point of 356.73 °C, mercury has one of the narrowest ranges of its liquid state of any metal.

Mercury is used in thermometers, barometers, manometers, sphygmomanometers, float valves, and other scientific apparatus, though concerns about the element's toxicity have led to mercury thermometers and sphygmomanometers being largely phased out in clinical environments in favor of alcohol-filled, digital, or thermistor-based instruments.

Mercury in "Vilcabamba"[]

The Krolp effectively strip-mined the whole nation of Spain to get at mercury deposits miles below the surface, thus making the entire country practically uninhabitable.

President of the United States Harris Moffatt III remembered this incident, and opted to fight the Krolp rather than allow them to strip-mine for silver and gold deep below the surface of the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Utah.

Advertisement