A group 12 element is one of the elements in group 12 (IUPAC style) in the periodic table. This includes zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg). The further inclusion of copernicium (Cn) in group 12 is supported by recent experiments on individual copernicium atoms. Group 12 is sometimes also known as the volatile metals, although this can also more generally refer to any metal that has high volatility, such as polonium or flerovium.
The three group 12 elements that occur naturally are zinc, cadmium and mercury. They are all widely used in electric and electronic applications, as well as in various alloys. The first two members of the group share similar properties as they are solid metals under standard conditions. Mercury is the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature. While zinc is very important in the biochemistry of living organisms, cadmium and mercury are both highly toxic. As copernicium does not occur in nature, it has to be synthesized in the laboratory.
Read more about Group 12 Element: Physical and Atomic Properties, Chemistry, Extensions, History, Occurrence, Production, Applications, Biological Role and Toxicity
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