To determine the chemical property of mercury, let's understand the distinction between physical and chemical properties:
- Physical properties are characteristics that can be observed or measured without changing the substance's chemical identity. Examples include color, boiling point, melting point, and physical state.
- Chemical properties describe a substance's ability to undergo a specific chemical change. These properties involve a change in the chemical structure of the substance.
Let's examine each option given for mercury:
1. Boiling point of [tex]\(-39^{\circ} C\)[/tex]:
- The boiling point is a physical property because it describes the temperature at which mercury transitions from a liquid to a gas without changing its chemical identity.
2. Silvery color:
- The silvery color is a physical property, as it refers to the appearance of mercury, which does not involve any chemical change.
3. Liquid at room temperature:
- Being liquid at room temperature is a physical property because it refers to the physical state of mercury at a given temperature, without changing its chemical composition.
4. Reacts with oxygen:
- Reacting with oxygen is a chemical property. This reaction involves changing the chemical structure of mercury as it forms mercury oxide ([tex]\(HgO\)[/tex]). This property describes mercury's potential to undergo a chemical transformation when exposed to oxygen.
Based on this understanding:
The chemical property of mercury is that it reacts with oxygen.
Therefore, the answer is:
Reacts with oxygen.
