Ever broke a mercury thermometer?

[Braindawg]

I cleaned it by putting it with pieces of paper into a plastic bad. sealed it good. and then vaccumed the place where it happened, opened the window to let some air in.

 

did i do something wrong maybe? how did u clean ur spills if they ever happened? and what should i do with the sealed mercury? i mean how should i throw it away?

[Otter]

It's such a miniscule amount - don't worry about it. Just clean it up and dispose of it in the garbage. Perhaps the tube itself didn't even break - unless you've got red liquid lying around, that's the case.

[Narcis_speed6]

You did good, as long as it's not in your body.

[Braindawg]

no red luquid for some reason. there were just mercury beads all over my floor. it was a pain in the ass to make them all into one big ball and actually roll it into the plastic bag. but thanks.

however: i heard putting it in the trash can contamine and polute the enviroment or what not.

[Robinski]

did i do something wrong maybe?

Yeah, you broke a thermometer.

 

For real though, was your hands thoroughly. Twice. Even if you're sure you didn't touch it.

[Otter]

no red luquid for some reason. there were just mercury beads all over my floor. it was a pain in the ass to make them all into one big ball and actually roll it into the plastic bag. but thanks.

however: i heard putting it in the trash can contamine and polute the enviroment or what not.

Those aren't mercury beads. Don't worry about it.

[Braindawg]

eather you are sacastic or its something else. but last time ive checked they are.

[Mark]

What colour is/was the thermometer?

[Braindawg]

glass thermometer with the red stuff indicating the tepmerature.

the paper inside with the numbers of the temp. and (of course) the mercury at the bottom, with a metal cap over it.

 

just like any other not digital thermometer.

[Mark]

Then I'm assuming it's alcohol with dye added. Mercury ones are always silvery looking. Don't worry about it. We used to stab each other in the hand with those in Chemistry class all the time.

[Moonshield]

I heard eating mercury turns you into a superhero. You should try it!

[Narcis_speed6]

Bad thing is if you cut in shards and the liquid gets in your skin, other than that...

 

[Braindawg]

Then I'm assuming it's alcohol with dye added. Mercury ones are always silvery looking. Don't worry about it. We used to stab each other in the hand with those in Chemistry class all the time.

thats what ive said. theres mercury in the bottom, and its secured by a silver cap thing. i wasnt talking about the red alchohol.

[Slynke]

They stopped putting mercury in thermos years ago..

[Braindawg]

then what were the beads that i was picking up in my living room made of?

[Mark]

Picking up? Mercury is a liquid at room temp. You might find they're merely a way of conducting heat to the alcohol as fast as possible, thus making a faster thermometer.

[Braindawg]

all i know is that this is how it looked like:

 

http://www.michigan.gov/images/mdch/Thermometer_broken_Final_217161_7.jpg

 

[Otter]

You're mistaken. The steel beads in the bottom of a glass thermometer are simply added for weight. Again, it wasn't mercurcy spread across your floor; mercury is a liquid and, even if used in your thermometer, used quite sparingly.

 

Steel, you ask? Yes. You could have cleaned the whole mess up with a magnet.

[epoxi]

Having traces of mercury on your carpet isn't a problem, and dumping a thermometer-full in the bin isn't either. Mercury is naturally found in the dirt all around us so as long as it's only a tiny amount I wouldn't worry.

 

Mercury on an aeroplane on the other hand, that's bad. Even the tiniest amount can cause a chain reaction and rot away the aluminium of the plane body rendering the entire thing useless.

 

 

Planes are largely made from aluminum and, surprisingly, a very small amount of mercury can destroy a large amount of aluminum.

 

Despite its apparently inert behavior, aluminum is actually a rather reactive metal which will combine violently with oxygen in air. However, this reaction quickly produces a thin, tough oxide layer which stops further attack. The process of anodising the aluminum thickens this layer to give better protection.

 

Mercury has the ability to disrupt this protective oxide layer, and the results can be spectacular. It can dissolve aluminum to form an amalgam which may break up the oxide layer from below, presumably the initial attack occurs through tiny faults in the oxide.

 

Many years ago a technician spilled a few drops of mercury on his wooden bench, which had heavy aluminum angles screwed round the edges to protect it. Next morning large holes were eaten through the aluminum, the wood nearby was deeply charred, and large fragile towers of friable aluminum oxide had grown like strange corals.

 

An aircraft in which mercury has been spilled must be put into quarantine until the amalgam makes its presence known. Ultimately, the aircraft is likely to be scrapped because the engineering textbooks state that the amalgam slowly spreads like wood rot to adjacent areas.

 

Mercury, along with many other common chemicals, is classified under “dangerous goods” in international regulations developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization, which is part of the UN.

 

You are not permitted to carry this substance, or any article containing it, aboard an aircraft in hand luggage or checked-in baggage. An exception is made for small clinical thermometers in protective cases for personal use.

[TheSiggi]

Luckily mercurys density is too high too own yourself with

and then vaccumed the place where it happened

Never do this when an energy-saving lamp broke for example!

[Braindawg]

You're mistaken. The steel beads in the bottom of a glass thermometer are simply added for weight. Again, it wasn't mercurcy spread across your floor; mercury is a liquid and, even if used in your thermometer, used quite sparingly.

 

Steel, you ask? Yes. You could have cleaned the whole mess up with a magnet.

i still doubt its steel. they werent rock hard, they were luqidy, almost jello like, whenever i tried catching the bead it "broke" into several smaller beads.

[Otter]

I fail to believe you.

[_-=Zombie=-_]

Don't worry about it. As long as you make a thread about it in gtaf everything is gonna be alright.

[nerner]

You're mistaken. The steel beads in the bottom of a glass thermometer are simply added for weight.  Again, it wasn't mercurcy spread across your floor;  mercury is a liquid and, even if used in your thermometer, used quite sparingly.

 

Steel, you ask?  Yes.  You could have cleaned the whole mess up with a magnet.

i still doubt its steel. they werent rock hard, they were luqidy, almost jello like, whenever i tried catching the bead it "broke" into several smaller beads.

Mercury isn't that toxic in itself, its compounds are much more toxic however. Provided it wasn't exposed to the air for very long it wouldn't have any impact on you.

[Mark]

I fail to believe you.

Aye. Either way, mercury would rather absorb into his carpet over anything else.

[Canoxa]

I fail to believe you.

Aye. Either way, mercury would rather absorb into his carpet over anything else.

You science types can finicky all you want, his beliefs are rock solid. He spilled some mercury, goddamit.

[Braindawg]

I fail to believe you.

Aye. Either way, mercury would rather absorb into his carpet over anything else.

there is no carpet on that area where i droped the thermometer.

[I Love Anna Kournikova]

How many opinions is it going to take for you to believe that its not mercury?

[Mark]

You're mistaken. The steel beads in the bottom of a glass thermometer are simply added for weight.  Again, it wasn't mercurcy spread across your floor;  mercury is a liquid and, even if used in your thermometer, used quite sparingly.

 

Steel, you ask?  Yes.  You could have cleaned the whole mess up with a magnet.

i still doubt its steel. they werent rock hard, they were luqidy, almost jello like, whenever i tried catching the bead it "broke" into several smaller beads.

Melting point of Mercury is about -38 degrees Celsius. If they were at all squidgy, you're living in pretty much one of the coldest places of earth.

[WedgeAntilles]

I had a friend who had a dog who ate an entire mercury thermometer glass and all didn't seem to bother it, so yeh whats the big deal??