A small amount of mercury amalgamates itself into an aluminum I-beam and destroys it from within. Gallium scratched into the surface allows the mercury to penetrate the protective oxide layer that normally surrounds anything made of aluminum.
This is a time-lapse video, the action takes about two hours in real time. The powdery oxide is falling off, what you don’t see is a significant pile of it building up underneath.
And they use Aluminum I beams in building what?
I wouldn’t use anything like that in a bridge, and I sure as hell couldn’t see a building with that in the structure.
Oh hell, now I remember…..Aircraft.
Now it’s scary.
Which is why mercury is not allowed on planes.
But all the new lightbulbs we’re supposed to use have mercury in them – no problem, right?
Mary, no problem. Dispose of properly.