what is the element mercury substance
Mercury (element) is a chemical element with symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is commonly known as quicksilver and was formerly named hydrargyrum (/haÉªËdrÉrdÊÉrÉm/). On the periodic table of elements, the chemical symbol for mercury is Hg, from the Latin word-Hydrargyrum-meaning liquid silver. 2  For quite some time, we have known that high concentrations of mercury can be toxic to humans; the first account of mercury poisoning was recorded as early as 50 B.C.