Why is there so much mercury in certain types of fish, and why doesn’t this high volume of mercury in them hurt them at all/as much as it hurts us?
Mercury is a substance that does not easily leave living creatures, but instead accumulates. All fish absorb mercury from the environment around them. Larger fish, however, eat a whole lot of smaller fish that have absorbed mercury and thus the larger fish absorbs the mercury from those smaller f…
The Short Answer
Mercury is a substance that does not easily leave living creatures, but instead accumulates. All fish absorb mercury from the environment around them. Larger fish, however, eat a whole lot of smaller fish that have absorbed mercury and thus the larger fish absorbs the mercury from those smaller fish. Also, larger fish live longer, so they have more time to absorb even more mercury than smaller fish. Also, I would imagine that mercury is detrimental to fish too.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Fish, mercury, larger
This explanation focuses on fish, mercury, larger and spans 78 words across 5 sentences. The depth is typical for Space & Astronomy questions (category average: 68 words), striking a balance between accessibility and completeness.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “Mercury is a substance that does not easily leave living creatures, but instead accumulates.” It then elaborates by presenting a contrasting perspective, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 5 connected points.
How This Compares in Space & Astronomy
Ranked #172 of 500 Space & Astronomy questions by answer depth (top 35%). This falls in the detailed tier — above average depth. The explanation goes beyond surface-level but keeps things accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why there so much mercury in certain types of fish, and why doesn't this high volume of mercury in them hurt them at all/as much as it hurts us?
Mercury is a substance that does not easily leave living creatures, but instead accumulates. All fish absorb mercury from the environment around them. Larger fish, however, eat a whole lot of smaller fish that have absorbed mercury and thus the…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Space & Astronomy questions?
This is an above-average answer at 78 words, ranked #172 of 500 Space & Astronomy questions by depth. The key concepts covered are fish, mercury, larger.
What approach does this answer take to explain there so much mercury in certain types of fish, and why does?
The explanation uses contrasting perspectives across 78 words. It is categorized under Space & Astronomy and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.