What are some facts about Mercury?

Answer 1

Mercury, the planet.

Mercury is the second smallest planet in the solar system, the smallest is Pluto. It is the closest planet to the sun; it is known as an inner planet. Its speed helps pervent it from getting sucked into the sun. It orbits round the sun in about 88 earth days but takes 58 earth days to rotate once. Mercury has no atmosphere so it is a poor place to live.

Mercury, the element

Mercury is a highly toxic element. Humans exposed to mercury can die from mercury poisoning. All old oral and rectal thermometers contained a cylinder of mercury; kids at home and in chemistry class used to deliberately pour out mercury to 'play' with it because mercury always splits into small balls that join and split from the main body of mercury in whatever amount. At the time, the health risks of being exposed and touching mercury were not known as they are known today.

Today, oral and rectal thermometers are digital and do not contain mercury. In the past, old thermometers were put in trash and trucked to landfills with all other garbage. This left small areas of contamination in the soil and ground water. Mercury must be disposed of as toxic waste; most health departments can take old thermometers for appropriate disposal.

Industries that contaminate the waters can cause fish to carry high levels of mercury. If humans eat the contaminated fish, it can lead to mercury-related illnesses.

Answer 2

Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system and is the closest planet to the Sun. It has a very thin atmosphere and extreme temperature variations, with scorching hot temperatures during the day and freezing cold temperatures at night. Mercury has a large iron core, which makes up about 60% of its mass and gives it a strong magnetic field.