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Registered Member #96
Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4062
Really weird thing i found though, if you evacuate a tube partially filled with mercury, and then shake it you may get flashes of light from areas of the glass. it looks like a form of sonoluminescence
Might also work with galinstan as well as InBiPbSn and InBiSn alloys (59 and 61 Celsius = doable) would be an interesting experiment to see if this works with metal combinations other than mercury
Registered Member #531
Joined: Sat Feb 17 2007, 10:51AM
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Posts: 125
It will not work with a thermometer as the mercury must be able to move freely over the glass surface. Find some old glass mercury switches, they work well. Be sure to give you eyes sufficient time to dark adapt as the effect is not bright by any means.
This light occurs due to charge separation at the Hg / glass interface. This effect was first observed quite a while back in mercury barometers. If you Google on "luminescent barometer" you should find the historical references.
Registered Member #1497
Joined: Thu May 22 2008, 05:24AM
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 801
I have a hunch that because alot of gallium alloys tend to wet glass, you'll lose the effect. I'd be interested to see what woods metal/fields metal does (if you can manage to keep it hot enough while watching for any luminescence....).
Edit: Not to mention that woods metal, while lead containing is a hell of alot safer than Hg....
Registered Member #531
Joined: Sat Feb 17 2007, 10:51AM
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Posts: 125
Yes, As "Bored Chemist" points out - glass is fragile, mercury very toxic and dark rooms problematic where safety is concerned. Be aware of the potential dangers before you try this.
That said, anyone with the presence of mind to walk and chew gum successfully should be able to perform the experiment without necessitating a visit from the HAZMAT team.
Registered Member #540
Joined: Mon Feb 19 2007, 07:49PM
Location: MIT
Posts: 969
I have always thought it would be cool to encase a tube half full of Mercury in a clear resin so it will be a lot harder to break if dropped. Would it protect the tube from being broken?
Registered Member #1134
Joined: Tue Nov 20 2007, 04:39PM
Location: Bonnie Scotland
Posts: 351
The luminescence is caused by static electricity. The action of the moving mercury on the glass walls strips and re-deposits charge from the glass, like the classic electrostatic machines.
A vacuum is not necessary to see the effect, but the ambient humidity must be low.
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Mercury luminescence when shaken?!
