Question

From the pairs of words, you are to select the pair which is closely related in the same way as the words of the first pair.

NITROGEN : GASEOUS :: _____ : ________

1. Nitrogen : Oxygen
2. Lead : Pencil
3. Feather : Wing
4. Mercury : Liquid

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 4 : Mercury : Liquid

The logic followed here is:

Nitrogen : Gaseous → Nitrogen is found in gaseous form in nature.

Similarly,

Mercury : Liquid → Mercury is found  in liquid form in nature.

Hence, ‘Mercury : Liquid’ is the correct answer.

• Mercury is rarely found in nature as the pure, liquid metal, but rather within compounds and inorganic salts. Mercury can be bound to other compounds as monovalent or divalent mercury (also expressed as Hg(I) and Hg(II) or Hg2+, respectively). Many inorganic and organic compounds of mercury can be formed from Hg(II).
• Mercury is extracted from ores – one of the main varieties being cinnabar. It is found mostly in China, Spain and California. Droplets of liquid mercury can actually be found within the ore, though it is usually extracted through heating.