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Mercury

Reference data and engineering information about mercury for miscellaneous applications.

mercury

Overview

Engineering reference data for Mercury in miscellaneous.

Key Formulas

Unit Conversion

y=x⋅ky = x \cdot k

Multiply by conversion factor.

Linear Interpolation

y=y1+(x−x1)(y2−y1)x2−x1y = y_1 + \frac{(x - x_1)(y_2 - y_1)}{x_2 - x_1}

Estimate between two known points.

Percentage

p=partwhole×100%p = \frac{\text{part}}{\text{whole}} \times 100\%

Part as fraction of whole.

Variables

SymbolDescriptionUnit
xxInput value—
yyOutput value—
kkConversion factor—

Thermodynamic Properties of Mercury

8 rows
Thermodynamic properties of saturated liquid mercury (Hg) at atmospheric pressure
Temperature (T)(°C)
Density (ρ)(kg/m³)
Specific Heat (c_p)(×10³ J/(kg·K))
Thermal Conductivity (k)(W/(m·K))
Kinematic Viscosity (ν)(×10⁻⁶ m²/s)
Prandtl Number (Pr)(—)
0135950.148.20.1240.029
20135450.1398.690.1140.025
50134720.1399.40.1040.021
100133510.13710.510.0930.016
150132310.13711.490.0850.013
200131120.15712.340.080.012
250129930.13613.070.0770.01
315.5—0.13414.020.0670.008

Source: engineeringtoolbox.com

Unit Conversions

The following conversion factors are useful when working with mercury properties in different unit systems:

PropertyConversion
Density1 kg/m3=0.0624 lb/ft31 \, \text{kg/m}^3 = 0.0624 \, \text{lb/ft}^3
Specific Heat1 J/(kg⋅K)=2.389×10−4 kcal/(kg⋅°C)=2.389×10−4 Btu/(lb⋅°F)1 \, \text{J/(kg·K)} = 2.389 \times 10^{-4} \, \text{kcal/(kg·°C)} = 2.389 \times 10^{-4} \, \text{Btu/(lb·°F)}
Thermal Conductivity1 W/(m⋅K)=0.85984 kcal/(h⋅m⋅°C)=0.5779 Btu/(ft⋅h⋅°F)=0.048 Btu/(in⋅h⋅°F)1 \, \text{W/(m·K)} = 0.85984 \, \text{kcal/(h·m·°C)} = 0.5779 \, \text{Btu/(ft·h·°F)} = 0.048 \, \text{Btu/(in·h·°F)}
Kinematic Viscosity1 m2/s=104 St=106 cSt=10.764 ft2/s=38750 ft2/h1 \, \text{m}^2/\text{s} = 10^4 \, \text{St} = 10^6 \, \text{cSt} = 10.764 \, \text{ft}^2/\text{s} = 38750 \, \text{ft}^2/\text{h}

Properties and Notes

Mercury is a liquid heavy metal at room temperature with several unique characteristics:

  • Very high density: Mercury is approximately 13.6 times denser than water at 0°C
  • Low Prandtl number: Values range from 0.008 to 0.029, indicating that momentum diffusivity dominates over thermal diffusivity — characteristic of liquid metals
  • Good thermal conductor: Mercury's thermal conductivity (8–14 W/m·K) is significantly higher than most non-metallic liquids
  • Decreasing viscosity with temperature: Kinematic viscosity decreases as temperature increases, following typical liquid behavior

⚠️ Safety Note: Mercury is toxic and requires careful handling. The boiling point at atmospheric pressure is approximately 315.5°C (the final data point in the table).

Interactive Charts

Mercury - Density vs. temperature diagram

References

Source: engineeringtoolbox.com