Questions

What does mercury mean Latin?

Name. From the ancient Roman god Mercury. The chemical symbol, Hg, comes from the Latin word hydrargyrum, which means quicksilver.

What is the origin word of mercury?

The name mercury originated in 6th-century alchemy, in which the symbol of the planet was used to represent the metal; the chemical symbol Hg derives from the Latin hydrargyrum, “liquid silver.” Although its toxicity was recognized at an early date, its main application was for medical purposes.

What you mean by mercury?

1 : a heavy silvery white poisonous metallic chemical element that is liquid at ordinary temperatures. 2 : the column of mercury in a thermometer or barometer. 3 capitalized : the planet that is nearest the sun and has a diameter of about 3000 miles (4700 kilometers)

What was the original name of mercury?

hydrargyrum
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is commonly known as quicksilver and was formerly named hydrargyrum (/haɪˈdrɑːrdʒərəm/ hy-DRAR-jər-əm) from the Greek words, hydor (water) and argyros (silver).

What does Mercury mean in Greek?

Mercury the swift messenger of the ancient gods. The Greek god Hermes (the Roman Mercury ) was the god of translators and interpreters. He was the most clever of the Olympian gods, and served as messenger for all the other gods. He ruled over wealth, good fortune, commerce, fertility, and thievery.

What does mercury mean in Greek?

What is mercury known for?

Fastest Planet The closer a planet is to the Sun, the faster it travels. Since Mercury is the fastest planet and has the shortest distance to travel around the Sun, it has the shortest year of all the planets in our solar system – 88 days.

What is another word for mercury?

Synonyms

  • metallic element.
  • Hg.
  • atomic number 80.
  • mercurous chloride.
  • calomel.
  • hydrargyrum.
  • cinnabar.
  • metal.

What was Mercury god of?

Why is Mercury called quicksilver?

Mercury’s chemical symbol, Hg, comes from the Greek “hydrargyrum” meaning liquid silver. Mercury is also known as “quicksilver,” a reference to its mobility.

What does Mercury mean in Roman mythology?

When did the Romans name Mercury?

But in the 4th century BCE, ancient astronomers realized that the two objects were one and the same, and stuck with Hermes; becoming Mercury with the Romans. And that’s how Mercury got its name. We’ve written several articles about the names for the planets.