What are three good reasons to use mercury in a liquid to use in a  thermometer?
954740
disadvantage is that mercury is very toxic. so if the thermometer breaks it is very dangerous. one of the reasons it is still used is because it can measure very high temperature. \nMercury will solidify (freeze) at -38.83 °C (-37.89 °F) and so may only be used at higher temperatures
989710
1. impurities in the compound\n2. temperature of the surface thats heated on\n3. old lab furniture.\ncant say more!
814756
or_try_this is correct.  It is dense, and a 30-inch column of mercury fits in a laboratory better than a 34-foot column of water.  It is stable and doesn't evaporate at room temperature.  Its thermal expansion can be compensated for, but it's usually small compared to the pressure differences it's measuring.  It looks scientific, too.
790776
Mercury: Hg\nEthanol: CH3CH2OH\nBenzene: C6H6
244494
Price: depends on where you live, since different countries have different supply chains (or delivery fees). Probably even applies to different US states. Consult online catalogues of suppliers like Sigma-Aldrich or Merck.\n\nToxicity: mercury vapours are highly toxic and cause mercury deposits in fatty tissue and jaws. Mercury poisoning causes dementia, as in "mad as a hatter" (in the 19th century, felt was made with mercury as a curing agent, and hatters working the felt usually got mercury poisoning). Mercury salts are highly toxic (blocking vital respiration enzymes).\n\nIn short: don't use mercury "at home" if you can avoid it. There are some lab uses like polarography which use the amalgating properties of the metal in order to analyze strongly electronegative elements in watery solution, but in most other applications mercury has been replaced by other materials.
324369
A thermometer is the most common method...\n\nUsually weather thermometres use alcohol rather than mercury as it is cheaper, less hazardous than mercury, and you are unlikely to measure close to or above 75 degrees celcius (which is the boiling point of ethanol).\nA thermometer works by filling a tube with the alcohol, as the temperature increases then the alcohol expands, thereby increasing in volume and rising up the tube. When the temperature decreases then the ethanol contracts and takes less space, thereby moving down the tube.\nIf you were to heat an alcohol thermometer in a fire it will burst as the ethanol expands so much as to destroy the tube.\n\nSome thermometers have small parts in them that are pushed up the tube and when the temperature drops the parts are stuck ther until you shake them... this hepls measure a maximum temperature.\n\n\n\nThere are also electronic methods, however these are often dependant on the humidity (moisture in the air) as a conductor... you may see such instruments in a sauna close to the roof.\nOther electronic thermometers are dependant on metal strips that change shape due to heat, allowing small changes in temperature to be measured. Your toaster will use something similar as a thermostat.\n\nI dont know much about the electronic types...
905523
The fact that they are both liquid at room temperature doesn't have any effect on whether they are metalic or not.  Mercury has metallic properties, Bromine doesn't.  Therefore Mercury is metal and Bromine isn't.
783948
Mercury is the only common metal liquid at ordinary temperatures and rarely occurs free in nature.  \n\nIt is a heavy, silvery white metal; a rather poor conductor of heat, as compared with other metals, and a fair conductor of electricity.  It easily forms alloys with many metals, such as gold, silver and time which are called amalgams.  \n\nThe metal is widely used laboratory work for making thermometers, barometers, diffusion ion pumps and many other instruments. Mercury should be handled with care because of the absorbing through the skin and can cause many problems (very serious ones).
409095
It's used as a reference in chemistry for almost anything matter related.\n1.  It's used as the standard of 1g/ml for density.\n2.  It's used as the standard of 1cal/g for specific heat.\n3.  Its freezing point and boiling point define the Celcius temperature scale.\nThat's all I know of, but there's probably more.
196346
mercury is known to mankind for a very long time. Probably the Greek or Romans or even the Egyptians were the ones who discovered it for poison or thermometers.\n\nAnother posobility is in the Iron age. This is because people needed thermometers to get to the right tempertature the  bend the iron and the old theromometers consisted of mercury.
238077
The mercury in the fillings that are placed in teeth are not dangerous to you.  This was just something to get the public all worked up.  The dental team, however, does have to be careful in handling the material while mixing it prior to placing the filling in the tooth and excess mercury does have to be disposed of properly and in accordance with state regulations.  In today's time, most dentists buy the filling material in little plastic capsules that is triturated (shaken up) in a special machine called an amalgamtor to mix it..... it is usually not mixed 'by hand' any longer.
625380
Tuna has less mercury than most fish.  It isn't safe to eat too much fish per week....at the most I would go for 3 times per week.
43501
Its a Metal, hence responds to / is a conductor of heat.\n\nIts fluid so the expansion per gradient of heat would be highest.\n\n\nAll other liquids are not a conductor of heat ( or as good as mercury)
981273
mercury\n\nmercury is a liquid metal\nand its composed of potassium, sodium, oxygen, argon, helium, nitrogen, Carbon dioxide, water, and hydrogen
237935
francium. mercury is technicaly not a metal, it just has a low melting point, low metling points do not make it unstable. if that were the case, then oxygen would be VERY unstable ITS ALREADY TURNED INTO VAPOR!!!
884841
The mercury probably doesn't have much value as it is probably impure and possibly contaminated being contained in a jar for an extended period of time. The most important concern is to NOT open the jar. Mercury is very poisonous and can be deadly in large amounts such as the one that you have. You should consult with someone to ensure that it is disposed of properly, and do not attempt to dispose of the metal yourself. So in short, the mercury isn't worth much, but it's such a large amount that you want to be very careful with it. Hope this helps!
629331
I would contact poison control.  It is dangerous.  I found this on the web:\n All mercury spills, regardless of quantity, should be treated seriously. Metallic mercury slowly evaporates when exposed to the air. The air in a room can reach contamination levels just from the mercury in a broken thermometer - just a few drops. When liquid mercury is spilled, it forms droplets that can accumulate in the tiniest of spaces and then emit vapors. Health problems caused by mercury depend on how much has entered your body, how it entered your body, how long you have been exposed to it, and how your body responds to it.\n\nThe symptoms of mercury poisoning can include:\n\n    * impairment of peripheral vision\n    * disturbances in sensations - that "pins and needles" feeling as well as numbness - usually in the hands feet and sometimes around the mouth\n    * lack of coordination of movements, such as writing\n    * impairment of speech, hearing, walking\n    * muscle weakness\n    * skin rashes\n    * mood swing, memory loss, and mental disturbances\n\nComing into contact with too much mercury this way can damage a growing brain, harming the way unborn and young children will be able to think and learn. It can also harm anyone's heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system.\nWhat you should do:\n\nThere are some simple DO's and DON'T's to remember if, for example, a mercury thermometer breaks:\n\nDO call your local health department and inform them of the situation.\n\nDO immediately remove children from the area;\n\nDO clean up the silver mercury beads by using one sheet of paper to carefully roll them onto a second sheet of paper, or use an eye dropper to collect it all. Then place the mercury into a plastic bag or airtight container. The paper and eye dropper should also be bagged in a zip-lock container.\n \n\nDON'T try to soak it up with a towel or rag; doing so only spreads the mercury, breaking it up into smaller beads making it more difficult to find and remove.\n\nDON'T use household cleaning products to clean the spill, particularly products that contain ammonia or chlorine. These chemicals will react violently with mercury, releasing a toxic gas.\n\nDON'T vacuum carpeted floors contaminated with liquid mercury.