I know the toxic effects of mercury well enough, I do not ignore them and i get your point. But let people do whatever they think is right, that is, after making sure they know the dangers, which I think this guy does. Also, if you keep saying "mercury is bad", it could result in people giving you thumbs-downs (and people who contradict like me thumbs-ups) and encouraging kiddies to get some mercury too, because doing "forbidden" stuff is cool... I am not a flamer, I just trust Mr. Darwin.
You are right but it still doesn't change the fact that it is has wide use. I'm not saying you should keep some in your room. Playing with it for 5 minutes is not a problem.
you are talking about industrial mercury, this is elemental mercury, elemental mercury is safe to touch and play with in your bare hand because it does not get absorbed by the skin.
Alright kiddies instead of telling you not to play with the lethal metal. I will just point out that mercury produces vapors which are toxic. So just cause your not touching it doesn't mean it isn't hurting you. Since some of you are going to play with it anyways, just be on the look out for these symptoms: hypersalivation (dude i have a lot of spit in my mouth), myalgia (dude my joints hurt), diaphoresis (dude I can't stop sweating), weakness, insomnia, and death (dude I can't wake up anymore).
also it seem like everything is blown out of proportion today. when i was in high school we used mercury thermometers,until some moron stole one and broke it in the hallway,the whole school was evacuated,and all the thermometers were replace with alcohol ones. the chem teachers even thought this was stupid.
through osmosis, liquid passing from a less concentrated area to a more concentrated area through a semi permeable membrane ( you skin ) you are correct mate
If any one care's go to know,,look up MCMaster Carr, then Look up Limit Switches, you can buy all the mercury you want in switchs you want,no problem, I don't eaven think there is a hazard fee on shipping
A former teacher of mine used to describe the effects that mercury had on people in the older days, when they played with it in their hands. They became very jittery and jerky - it's brain damaging. Let me guess - you had an endless supply of x-rays that never harmed you, either??
stop whining, my mother told me back in her hay day (when she was young in the 50s and 60s) people would break thermometers for fun and play with the mercury and they're not retarded, you need to stop watching the news buddy.
