Which metals does mercury dissolve?
Copper,gold silver,zinc tin,aluminium for just six..Iron does not dissolve in it. Solutions of metals in mercury are called amalgams which are often used in dental fillings.If mercury is placed on a scratched aluminium surface aluminium dissolves in the mercury where the two metals are in contact and then passes through the liquid mercury to the surface where it combines with oxygen in the air where the aluminium immediately oxidises in a very eerie way.It is a very destructive reaction and hard to stop once started.It shows very vividly how important is the oxide coating in preventing corrosion of the metal.Incidentally Gallium is very like mercury in it effects on aluminium.
