Iodine and Mercury - Comparison - Properties

This article contains comparison of key thermal and atomic properties of iodine and mercury, two comparable chemical elements from the periodic table. It also contains basic descriptions and applications of both elements. Iodine vs Mercury.

iodine and mercury - comparison

Compare iodine with another element

Compare mercury with another element

Iodine and Mercury – About Elements

Iodine

Iodine is the heaviest of the stable halogens, it exists as a lustrous, purple-black metallic solid at standard conditions that sublimes readily to form a violet gas. Iodine is the least abundant of the stable halogens, being the sixty-first most abundant element. It is even less abundant than the so-called rare earths. It is the heaviest essential mineral nutrient.

Mercury

Mercury is commonly known as quicksilver and was formerly named hydrargyrum. Mercury is a heavy, silvery d-block element, mercury is the only metallic element that is liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure.

Iodine in Periodic Table

Mercury in Periodic Table

Source: www.luciteria.com

Iodine and Mercury – Applications

Iodine

In addition to nutrition products, iodine and iodine derivatives are used in a wide range of medical, agricultural, and industrial applications. About half of all produced iodine goes into various organoiodine compounds, another 15% remains as the pure element, another 15% is used to form potassium iodide, and another 15% for other inorganic iodine compounds. The leading application is in the production of X-ray contrast media (22%). Iodine’s high atomic number and density make it ideally suited for this application, as its presence in the body can help to increase contrast between tissues, organs, and blood vessels with similar X-ray densities. It is used as an antiseptic for external wounds. Another application driving the demand for iodine is in polarizing film in liquidcrystal display (LCD) screens.

Mercury

Mercury is used primarily for the manufacture of industrial chemicals or for electrical and electronic applications. However, because of its toxicity, many uses of mercury are being phased out or are under review. It is used in some thermometers, especially ones which are used to measure high temperatures. Mercury easily forms alloys, called amalgams, with other metals such as gold, silver and tin. The ease with which it amalgamates with gold made it useful in recovering gold from its ores. Mercury amalgams were also used in dental fillings. Gaseous mercury is used in mercury-vapor lamps and some “neon sign” type advertising signs and fluorescent lamps.

Iodine and Mercury – Comparison in Table

Element	Iodine	Mercury
Density	4.94 g/cm3	13.534 g/cm3
Ultimate Tensile Strength	N/A	N/A
Yield Strength	N/A	N/A
Young’s Modulus of Elasticity	N/A	N/A
Mohs Scale	N/A	N/A
Brinell Hardness	N/A	N/A
Vickers Hardness	N/A	N/A
Melting Point	113.5 °C	-38.9 °C
Boiling Point	184 °C	357 °C
Thermal Conductivity	0.449 W/mK	8.3 W/mK
Thermal Expansion Coefficient	N/A	60.4 µm/mK
Specific Heat	0.214 J/g K	0.139 J/g K
Heat of Fusion	7.824 kJ/mol	2.295 kJ/mol
Heat of Vaporization	20.752 kJ/mol	59.229 kJ/mol