merkuri

Merkuri is the Indonesian name for Mercury, used to refer to both the planet closest to the Sun and the chemical element with the symbol Hg. In Indonesian science and education, the context usually clarifies which sense is meant, and the term may appear in compounds such as Merkuri di Bumi (planet) or merkuri logam (element).

Planet: Merkuri is the innermost planet of the Solar System and the smallest by size and mass. It orbits the Sun every about 88 days at an average distance of roughly 0.39 astronomical units. Its rotation is in a 3:2 resonance with its orbit, so a solar day lasts about 176 Earth days. The surface is rocky and heavily cratered, with an extremely thin exosphere rather than a substantial atmosphere. Temperatures vary dramatically between day and night. Mercury has a large metallic core and a weak magnetic field. Notable surface features include the Caloris Basin. Space missions include NASA’s MESSENGER (2004–2015) and ESA–JAXA’s BepiColombo, which arrived in 2025 to study the planet further.

Element: Merkuri, the chemical element, is a dense, silvery metal that is liquid at room temperature. Its symbol is Hg, atomic number 80, and atomic weight about 200.59. It occurs in cinnabar and other minerals. Mercury has many historical uses, such as in thermometers, barometers, fluorescent lamps, and dental amalgams, though many applications have declined due to toxicity. It is highly toxic and a persistent environmental pollutant, capable of causing neurological and developmental harm with exposure. Safe handling and emission controls are essential.