Free washer or dryer, what to do...

[wanna-b-ballin']

well mercury alone isn't really that dangerous. yeah, if you leave it in your hand for a few hours it's bad, but why would you do that anyway?
it slowly evaporates into the air, so yeah, that kid that spilled it into the carpet was being stupid. you also never want to use a broom to sweep it up, because it scatters.

[evildead420]

use it for target pratice with real guns and m 1000's. thats always useful for that.

[ThePixelGuru]

well mercury alone isn't really that dangerous. yeah, if you leave it in your hand for a few hours it's bad, but why would you do that anyway?
it slowly evaporates into the air, so yeah, that kid that spilled it into the carpet was being stupid. you also never want to use a broom to sweep it up, because it scatters.

Don't vacuum it either...

[slade]

i'm pretty sure there is a little bit of mercury in them. inside a little glass tube. it works as a switch of somekind. i think they are in them.

i know they are in light switches though.

you could play with the mercury. its cool stuff.

its used as a heat control switch, like a thermostat. you know, since mercury is a liquid but still a metal?

itd probably only be in a dryer.

and yeah, the whole "no school" thing sounds good. i should try that.

[tropical_fishy]

its used as a heat control switch, like a thermostat. you know, since mercury is a liquid but still a metal?

itd probably only be in a dryer.

and yeah, the whole "no school" thing sounds good. i should try that.

Colin, you NEED more school. Any metallic substance can be "liquid and still a metal." Just because we picture metal as hard and shiny doesn't mean it can't have other states. Headpat.

[slade]

Colin, you NEED more school. Any metallic substance can be "liquid and still a metal." Just because we picture metal as hard and shiny doesn't mean it can't have other states. Headpat.

ehh, quiet you. having liquid steel in a glass tube wouldnt work out too well. you knew damn well i meant its a liquid at room temperature. the mercury rolls back in forth between the tube to make a connection between two wires, or break that connection. its attached to a metal coil that expands and rotates when the heat rises breaking the connection shutting off the heat.

[wanna-b-ballin']

no, i'm really sure they can be found in lightswitches. atleast in a few of mine. when you flip the switch, the mercury tube flips too, which then connects or de-connects the current.

[slade]

no, i'm really sure they can be found in lightswitches. atleast in a few of mine. when you flip the switch, the mercury tube flips too, which then connects or de-connects the current.

? hmm. you probably have a really old house.

[billybob_81067]

no, i'm really sure they can be found in lightswitches. atleast in a few of mine. when you flip the switch, the mercury tube flips too, which then connects or de-connects the current.

Yeah I'm also pretty sure they can be found in old light switches. The ones that are quiet and don't make the loud clunk noise when switched.

Newer switches are also quiet, but the old non-mercury switches would make a clunking noise when flipped.

So if you know a switch is ancient, but it's quiet, it's probably got some mercury in it.