[YAPA] Why is mercury a liquid?

[norma.holowach at neomin.org]

 Why is mercury a liquid under Earth surface conditions? The elements
around it on the periodic table have much higher melting points. I
have been hunting for an answer, but have not found substantial.
Obviously, it involves the forces holding the mercury atoms together.
However, I cannot think why mercury would be so different from other
metals. One source mentioned its atomic radius, but other metals have
similar sizes and still have high melting points.   Thank you. 
 Norma Holowach, M.Ed 
 National Board Certified Teacher 
 Praxis III Assessor 
 Lakeview High School 
 300 Hillman Drive 
 Cortland, OH 44410 
 (330)637-4921 
 "Connecting with nature is an essential part of being alive." 
 National Geographic. 
 
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