This is because Hg is an abbreviation of the Latin name of the element, which was hydrargium. With this name the Greeks were referring to the fact that mercury is a silvery liquid at room temperature, rather than a solid like other metals.
We've looked at the three types of heat transfer. Conduction and convection rely on temperature differences; radiation does, too, but with radiation the absolute temperature is important.
Conduction, Convection, and Radiation When heat is transferred from one substance or body to another, it is done in one of three ways: conduction, convection, and radiation. Often, heat will be transferred in a combination of methods.