What element has the symbol 'Hg'?

The story behind the answer

Hg is the symbol for Mercury. The other options have different symbols: Hydrogen is H, Gallium is Ga, and Manganese is Mn. Hg comes from the Latin name hydrargyrum, meaning “water-silver,” a nod to mercury’s shiny, liquid appearance.

Mercury is a dense, toxic metal and one of the few elements liquid at room temperature (the only metal; bromine is a liquid nonmetal). It was historically used in thermometers and barometers and is named after the Roman messenger god Mercury. Memory tip: Hg = Hydr-Argyrum (“water-silver”) → the silvery liquid metal = mercury. Or think “Hermes/Mercury” the swift messenger → Hg in old thermometers that “quickly” rises.