Fulminic acid, mercury(2+) salt
Mercury(II) fulminate is a chemical compound of mercury. It is a primary explosive and highly sensitive to friction and shock, thus mainly used as a trigger for other explosives in percussion caps and blasting caps. Mercury is a heavy, silvery d-block metal and one of six elements that are liquid at or near room temperature and pressure. It is a naturally occuring substance, and combines with other elements such as chlorine, sulfur, or oxygen to form inorganic mercury compounds (salts). Mercury also combines with carbon to make organic mercury compounds. (L1, L425)