Is Mercury good conductor of heat?

Answer 1

Mercury is a (relatively) poor conductor of heat because unlike other metals (which are better heat conductors) mercury is a liquid and lacks the rigid crystal structure and electron configuration of solids that make them (sometimes) better thermal conductors.

Answer 2

Mercury is a poor conductor of heat, however, as a metal it is better than water, which being a nonmetal is an even poorer conductor of heat.

Refer to the related links for a chart that shows the thermal conductivity of many different substances.

Answer 3

Mercury is a metal, and all metals are good conductors. The reason for this is that they have some electrons that are very loosely bound to the atom, i.e., they can move around quite freely.

Mercury is a metal, and all metals are good conductors. The reason for this is that they have some electrons that are very loosely bound to the atom, i.e., they can move around quite freely.

Mercury is a metal, and all metals are good conductors. The reason for this is that they have some electrons that are very loosely bound to the atom, i.e., they can move around quite freely.

Mercury is a metal, and all metals are good conductors. The reason for this is that they have some electrons that are very loosely bound to the atom, i.e., they can move around quite freely.

Answer 4

Mercury (Hg) is 13.6 times more dense than water. Liquids don't normally conduct heat, (they use 'Convection Currents' for heat transfer operations).

Mercury is a Liquid Metal at room temperature and as such, its density gives its molecules a much closer proximity to each other thus allowing Conduction to occur.

(The Specific Heat Capacity of Hg is only 0.140 J/g/°C, whereas H2O is 4.184J/g/°C, meaning that, for the same mass of mercury as water, when heated, the mercury will rise to a higher temperature than water with the same amount of Heat Energy added.

Example:

1 gram of water plus 4.184 Joules of heat will increase by 1°C.

1 gram of mercury will rise by 29.9°C with 4.184 Joules of heat added.

(1.0g (Hg) x 4.184J/g/°C (water)) / 0.140J/g/°C (Hg) = 29.9°C

iquid mercury is a metal, which means it is composed of ions floating in a 'sea' of delocalised electrons. These electrons are free to move and so can pass on heat/kinetic energy very easily. Water is not metallic and so does not have free electrons and therefore cannot conduct heat nearly as well.

• 3 years ago

Answer 5

Because of its metallic bonds there is essentially a sea of electrons that can carry a charge very easily

Answer 6

All metals are heat conductors; mercury is not a special case.

Answer 7

No not really compared to most other metals, at 20°C Hg has a thermal conductivity of 8,69 (aluminum thermal conductivity is 20 times greater)

Answer 8

Mercury is a metal, and all metals are good conductors. The reason for this is that they have some electrons that are very loosely bound to the atom, i.e., they can move around quite freely.

Answer 9

it;s metalic

Answer 10

It is a liquid metal . So it conducts heat but even slower , at the end of the day it is a metal that conducts heat . Though it molecules are far apart