mercury

A chemical element which at room temperature appears as a silvery metal in liquid state. In nature, it can mostly be found in droplet form in cinnabar (mercury sulfide) ores. Because it is a fair conductor of electricity and easily forms alloys, mercury has been used as catalyst, conductor, and to produce metal amalgams in various products such as thermometers, batteries, and dental fillings. However, mercury is highly toxic, and while it is still used in the industrial chemical industry, as well as in the electric and electronics industries, its common commercial uses have been significantly limited in recent decades.