Question

What is mercury and where does it come from?

Answer 1

Mercury (Hg) is an element that occurs in the environment naturally as a result of human activity. It is a silvery colour and the only metal that is liquid and room temperature. It is considered one of the "heavy metal" because of its atomic weight and can be found at number eighty on the periodic table of elements. Mercury can also evaporate to form an odourless, colourless, vapour. Mercury has proved useful for measuring devices such as thermometers but is toxic to humans and animals. The erosion of rocks, eruption of volcanoes and decomposition of soil lead to the to the admission of mercury into the air. While natural levels of mercury have never been a threat to humans or animals, man-made levels are. The main and most problematic source of mercury admission comes from power plants that burn fossil fuels; primarily coal.