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Compare Zinc vs Mercury

Comparing Zinc (Zn) and Mercury (Hg). Atomic numbers 30 and 80 with atomic masses 65.382 u and 200.592 u, classified as transition metal and transition metal. Below: a side-by-side comparison of their physical, atomic, electron-configuration and historical properties, including density, melting and boiling points, ionization energies, oxidation states and discovery history.

vs
Zn
Zinc
#30
Hg
Mercury
#80

Periodic properties of the elements

ZincMercury
SymbolZnHg
Atomic number3080
Group1212
Period46
Blockdd
Element categoryTransition MetalTransition Metal

Physical properties

ZincMercury
Phase at STPSolidLiquid
Density7.14 g/cm313.534 g/cm3
Atomic weight65.382 u200.592 u
Melting point692.68 K
419.53 °C
787.154 °F		234.321 K
-38.829 °C
-37.8922 °F
Boiling point1180 K
906.85 °C
1664.33 °F		629.88 K
356.73 °C
674.114 °F

Atomic properties

ZincMercury
Electronegativity (Pauling Scale)1.652
Electron affinity-58 kJ/mol-48 kJ/mol
Oxidation states−2, 0, +1, +2
(an amphoteric oxide)		−2 , +1, +2
(a mildly basic oxide)
Ionization energies
  1. 906.4 kJ/mol
  2. 1733.3 kJ/mol
  3. 3833 kJ/mol
  4. 5731 kJ/mol
  5. 7970 kJ/mol
  6. 10400 kJ/mol
  7. 12900 kJ/mol
  8. 16800 kJ/mol
  9. 19600 kJ/mol
  10. 23000 kJ/mol
  11. 26400 kJ/mol
  12. 29990 kJ/mol
  13. 40490 kJ/mol
  14. 43800 kJ/mol
  15. 47300 kJ/mol
  16. 52300 kJ/mol
  17. 55900 kJ/mol
  18. 59700 kJ/mol
  19. 67300 kJ/mol
  20. 71200 kJ/mol
  21. 179100 kJ/mol
  1. 1007.1 kJ/mol
  2. 1810 kJ/mol
  3. 3300 kJ/mol

Electron configuration

ZincMercury
Shorthand configuration[Ar] 3d10 4s2 [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2
Full configuration1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f14 5s2 5p6 5d10 6s2
Electrons per shell2, 8, 18, 22, 8, 18, 32, 18, 2

History

ZincMercury
DiscoveryIndian metallurgists (1000 BC)Egyptians (1500 BC)
First isolationAndreas Sigismund Marggraf (1746)
Named byParacelsus
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