Can you touch mercury?

Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature. Although it has been removed from most thermometers, you can still find it in thermostats and fluorescent lights. It's never safe to touch mercury. read more

Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature. Although it has been removed from most thermometers, you can still find it in thermostats and fluorescent lights. It's never safe to touch mercury. You'll hear older people tell you how it used to be common to use liquid mercury in labs and poke at it with fingers and pencils. read more

As long as you don't expose your skin to the metal too much and you wash your hands after then you would be fine. If any mercury did absorb through your skin then because the amount will be so small then you would urinate it out leaving no mercury in your body meaning it won't build up to harmful amounts. read more

Mercury is a very toxic or poisonous substance that people can be exposed to in several ways. If it is swallowed, like from a broken thermometer, it mostly passes through your body and very little is absorbed. If you touch it, a small amount may pass through your skin, but not usually enough to harm you. read more