Question

Mercury is transported in metal containers made of (a) lead (b) silver (c) aluminium (d) iron

Short answer

Mercury is transported in lead containers.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Mercury's Properties

Mercury is a liquid metal at room temperature and is known for its high density and high surface tension. It does not react with most metals, but can react with some to form amalgams.

Evaluating Material Options

The question provides four metal options: lead, silver, aluminium, and iron. We need to determine how mercury interacts with each of these.

Analyzing Lead as a Container

Lead is known to be resistant to Mercury, as it doesn’t form an amalgam with it. This makes lead a potential candidate for storing mercury.

Evaluating Silver and Aluminium

Both silver and aluminium can form amalgams with mercury, making them unsuitable materials for containers meant for mercury storage.

Considering Iron

Iron can also react with mercury, though not as readily as silver or aluminium, it is still not as safe as lead for long-term storage of mercury.

Selecting the Best Material

Since lead does not form an amalgam with mercury and remains stable, it is the most appropriate material for transporting mercury.

Key concepts

Mercury Properties

Mercury is quite a unique metal with properties that set it apart from most other elements. At room temperature, mercury is liquid, making it one of only a few metals that is not solid at this temperature. This characteristic can be fascinating because it allows mercury to flow and move much like oil or water.

Additionally, mercury is well known for its heavy density, meaning a small amount of it is quite heavy compared to other substances. This density is complemented by its high surface tension, which allows it to form small, round beads instead of spreading out like water when it is poured onto a surface.

An important property of mercury is its chemical reactivity. While not reacting with most common materials like glass or plastics, mercury can react with several metals to produce amalgams. These amalgams are alloys that result from mercury chemically binding with another metal, affecting both its properties and suitability for certain applications.

Amalgam Formation

Amalgams are the result of mercury's ability to combine with other metals. This specific interaction has significant implications for various applications, particularly regarding storage and handling of mercury.

When mercury comes into contact with metals such as silver or aluminium, it easily forms amalgams with them. These reactions can compromise the integrity of the container or the structure, making it less reliable for storage. This is because the amalgam can lead to structural weaknesses and potential leaks.

Some metals, however, like lead, resist forming amalgams with mercury, which makes them preferred for storing or transporting mercury. It is crucial to understand this reaction process to select suitable materials that will remain stable when in contact with mercury, minimizing risks.

Material Selection for Chemical Storage

Choosing the right material for storing chemicals involves understanding the chemical reactivity between the substance being stored and the potential container materials. For mercury storage, avoiding materials that form amalgams with mercury is essential.

Lead, in this context, stands out as the ideal candidate. It doesn’t react to form an amalgam with mercury, ensuring the container remains stable and leak-proof over time. This characteristic makes lead containers both safe and durable for holding mercury.

By contrast, materials like aluminium, silver, and iron, which may form amalgams, are less suitable. Although iron is less reactive compared to silver and aluminium, utilizing lead's resistance to amalgamation is a safer choice. Effective storage solutions for mercury thus rely on this nuanced understanding of chemical interactions and selecting materials that can best contain these strong properties.