Elements which are liquid at room temp

The only other element that is liquid under these conditions is bromine, though metals such as caesium, gallium, and rubidium melt just above room temperature. Mercury occurs in deposits throughout the world mostly as cinnabar mercuric sulfide , an ore that is highly toxic by ingestion or inhalation. Mercury poisoning can also result from exposure to water-soluble forms of mercury such as mercuric chloride or methylmercury , inhalation of mercury vapor, or ingestion of seafood contaminated with mercury.

Compared to other metals, mercury is a poor conductor of heat, but a fair conductor of electricity. Mercury has a unique electronic configuration which strongly resists removal of an electron, making mercury behave similarly to noble gas elements.

The weak bonds formed by these elements become solids which melt easily at relatively low temperatures. Mercury does not react with most acids, although oxidizing acids such as concentrated sulfuric acid and nitric acid dissolve it to give sulfate, nitrate, and chloride salts.

Like silver, mercury reacts with atmospheric hydrogen sulfide. Mercury even reacts with solid sulfur flakes, which are used in mercury spill kits to absorb mercury vapors.

Mercury dissolves to form amalgams with gold, zinc, and many other metals. Iron is an exception, and iron flasks have been traditionally used to trade mercury. Bromine is a liquid because its outer electrons are distant from its nucleus. So, bromine atoms are easily influenced by intermolecular forces, making the element a liquid rather than solid at room temperature. At slightly warmer temperatures, four additional elements are liquids, bringing the total of elements that are liquids at ordinary temperatures to six.

In order of increasing melting point , these elements are:. Francium is the most electropositive of the elements. Cesium is a soft reactive metal. Like francium, it has a high electropositivity or low electronegativity.

The reason cesium and francium are soft and have low melting points is due to the size of their atoms, which means the outer electron shell is far from the atomic nucleus.

Although cesium does not have the highest atomic number of any element, its atoms are the largest. Gallium is a gray metal that you can melt in the palm of your hand from body heat. Spoons made from gallium bend when held and melt in hot liquids. Rubidium is a soft, silver-colored metal. Four other elements are liquids slightly warmer than room temperature. They are francium, cesium, gallium, and rubidium all metals. The reason these elements are liquids has to do with how tightly bound their electrons are to the atomic nucleus.

Basically, the atoms don't share their electrons with nearby atoms, so it is easy to separate them from solids into liquids. Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph. Liquid Elements on the Periodic Table. Copper Facts: Chemical and Physical Properties.

Francium Facts Atomic Number 87 or Fr. Bromine Facts Atomic Number 35 or Br. Gallium Facts Atomic Number 31 or Ga. Silicon Facts Atomic Number 14 or Si. Chemical Element Pictures - Photo Gallery.

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