HG Full Form – Hydrargyrum

HG is a heavy metal with a shiny silver look. It belongs to a group of elements known as d-block elements. Mercury is special because it is the only metal that stays in liquid form at normal room temperature and pressure. No other metal does this. The only other element that is liquid at this temperature is bromine, which is not a metal but a halogen. Some other metals like caesium, gallium, and rubidium also melt, but only when the temperature goes slightly above room temperature.

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HG Full Form

HG Full Form is Hydrargyrum. The common name for this is Mercury. It is a chemical element and has an atomic number of 80. It looks silver and stays in liquid form at normal room temperature. The symbol Hg comes from its old Latin name, hydrargyrum, which means “liquid silver.” People gave it this name because it shines like silver and flows like water. The name “mercury” also comes from the Roman god Mercury, who moved quickly and carried messages.

Why is Mercury Called Hg?

Mercury is called Hg because of its Latin name, Hydrargyrum, which means “liquid silver.” This name comes from two Greek words: hydor, meaning water, and argyros, meaning silver. The element has a shiny, silver appearance and flows like water, which is why early scientists gave it this name.

While the name “mercury” comes from the Roman god known for speed and movement, the symbol Hg remains based on its older Latin roots. Even today, scientists across the world use Hg as the chemical symbol in labs, textbooks, and industries.

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Physical and Chemical Properties of Hydrargyrum (Hg)

Hydrargyrum, known as mercury or Hg, behaves unlike any other metal. At room temperature, it stays liquid and drips like silver water. It looks bright and shiny, with thick droplets that hardly spread out . It has a very high density of around 13.5 grams per cubic centimeter at 20 °C, making it much heavier than water. It freezes at −38.83 °C and boils at 356.73 °C, giving it the lowest melting and boiling points among stable metals.

Chemically, mercury shows little reaction with normal acids or oxygen, but strong acids like nitric or sulfuric acid dissolve it into various salts. It binds with metals like gold and silver to form amalgam. Mercury also resists rusting and shows diamagnetic behavior, meaning it repels small magnetic fields. Its structure and bond strength result from relativistic effects on its electrons, giving it unusually weak metal‑metal links

Uses of Mercury in Everyday Life

Mercury shows up in some items people still use daily. Though its use is falling, it helps in tools that measure, shine, or switch things on. Its liquid nature and ability to conduct electricity make it useful.

• Thermometers
• Barometers
• Fluorescent bulbs
• Electrical switches
• Dental fillings
• Button-cell batteries

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Health Hazards of Mercury

Mercury quietly harms the brain. People exposed to it often forget things, struggle with simple tasks, or fail to express their thoughts clearly. The damage grows with repeated exposure.

• It disrupts the nervous system, which carries messages between the brain and body. People start experiencing shaky hands, poor body control, numbness in fingers or toes, and difficulty with balance and movement.
• Unborn babies and young children face the highest risk. When a pregnant woman takes in mercury through food or air, the baby’s brain growth slows. Learning feels harder, and basic skills develop more slowly.
• Vital organs like the lungs, kidneys, liver, and heart suffer from mercury exposure. The harm doesn’t show immediately, and it develops over time in most people.
• Mercury exposure changes how people feel and behave. People experience anxiety, low on energy. It also causes emotional triggers and mood swings in a lot of people.
• Mercury enters the body through certain fish from polluted waters, like tuna or swordfish. It also spreads through the air in places using mercury tools or equipment, broken thermometers, or outdated lab setups.

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Environmental Impact of Mercury

Mercury travels from mines, industries, and waste into the earth, water, and air. In small gold mines, mercury washes into rivers and poisons fish and soil. So, people and animals who eat the fish may suffer harm over time. Rain causes mercury to enter food chains, where it collects in fish and seafood . Once mercury reaches the body, it stays long time and moves up through plants and animals . This accumulation harms wildlife and the human brain and heart. Global trees absorb some mercury, but climate change reduces this benefit. Humans need fish, yet mercury risk rises, especially for mothers and children.

Safe Handling and Disposal of Mercury

Mercury is dangerous to health and nature. So, handling it with care is very important. Here are some ways to handle it properly:

• Before handling mercury, always wear thick rubber or latex gloves along with a protective mask. This helps avoid direct contact with skin or inhaling harmful vapors. Even small exposure can lead to serious health problems over time.
• Using a vacuum or broom spreads mercury particles into the air, making the area unsafe to breathe. Instead, use a mercury spill kit or sticky tape to collect small beads safely.
• Store mercury in tightly closed plastic or glass bottles. Make sure the container is labeled clearly and kept in a cool, secure place where it cannot fall or break.
• Mercury should never be flushed or drained, as it can mix with water systems and cause pollution. It contaminates soil and water bodies, harming animals, plants, and people.
• Items like thermometers, old batteries, or CFL bulbs that contain mercury must be dropped off at special recycling or hazardous waste centers. These places follow safe methods to dispose of mercury without harming nature.

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Difference Between Mercury and Hydrargyrum

Mercury is the name people use today for a metal that stays in liquid form at room temperature. It looks like shiny silver water and is very heavy. It was used heavily in old thermometers, batteries, and some light bulbs. Mercury is a very useful element, but it also causes harm if people touch or breathe too much of it.

Hydrargyrum is not a different metal. It is an old word for mercury. This word comes from Greek, where “hydor” means water and “argyros” means silver. The metal got this name because it looks like liquid silver. The short form Hg, which is the symbol for mercury on the periodic table, comes from the word Hydrargyrum.

Global Regulations on Mercury Use

Many countries now make rules to stop mercury use. They ban items like bulbs, batteries, and dental fillings with mercury. The European Union will stop using dental mercury from January 2025 and mercury lamps from late 2026. A global treaty, the Minamata Convention, helps over 150 nations control mercury trade, mining, and waste.

India has already joined this treaty in 2018, and we have also banned some mercury products. The government will announce the action plan in 2025. These steps help to protect people and the planet from the harm mercury causes.

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