Mercury is a very fascinating element. It's a metal that just happens to take the form of a liquid at relatively low temperatures. This shiny fluid metal is often known as quicksilver and takes on the properties of runny liquid.
Mercury has the symbol Hg on the periodic table, and if you've ever researched it before, you'd find that it's incredibly dense. Mercury is denser than lead, steel, and other types of metals, which is why metal appears to float on mercury's surface.
Its properties, as you'll see in the video, give it a high surface tension.
Another thing you should know about mercury is that it is toxic, which is why you'll see the guy in the video is wearing skin protection. It's important to wear eye, nose, and mouth protection while handling it so that you don't go crazy.
Lots of people were affected by the toxins of mercury in the 18th and 19th centuries if they were a part of the hat-making business, as the element was once used in a step called "carroting."
Videos
SEP 14, 2015