Element Oddities: 11 Confusing Chemical Symbols Explained

Element Oddities: 11 Confusing Chemical Symbols Explained

Almost all of the chemical symbols for elements when you look at the table that https://hookupdate.net/ethiopian-personals-review/ is periodic sense; you can find a tiny selection, nevertheless, that seem to bear no regards to their elementвЂs title. Following the regular table of refused element

names a couple of days ago, questions regarding these elements arrived up, so right hereвЂs a review of their confusing symbols, combined with the reasons for them.

Sodium – Natrium (Na)

SodiumвЂs Latin name, ‘natriumвЂ, derives through the Greek ‘nГ­tron†(a title for salt carbonate). Its initial supply may very well be the Arabic work ‘natrunвЂ. Lots of modern languages nevertheless call the element natrium in place of salt, also itвЂs this title that its symbol that is chemical, arises from.

Potassium – Kalium (K)

‘Kalium†is potassiumвЂs Latin name, and derives from the Arabic ‘al qal Д« yвЂ, meaning “calcined ashes” (the ashes remaining whenever plant product is burned). A number of modern languages still refer to potassium as kalium, and the name lends the element its chemical symbol, K as with sodium.

Iron – Ferrum (Fe)

IronвЂs Latin title, ‘ferrumвЂ, offers it its sign Fe; it simply means ‘iron‘sword†orвЂ, and it is possibly of Semitic origin. The element is famous by an array of different names in various languages, with a few sources suggesting there are over 200 different names for it. ThereвЂs an inventory of 213 of those right right right here.

Copper – Cuprum (Cu)

ThereвЂs no shortage of elements called after places, but copperвЂs title is more subdued than many. CopperвЂs Latin title had been ‘cypriumвЂ, which it self originates from ‘kyprosвЂ, the Greek title for Cyprus. The island of Cyprus had been famous hundreds of years ago for the copper reserves. The title had been fundamentally simplified to ‘cuprumвЂ, and also this sooner or later morphed to the English variation, copper.

Silver – Argentum (Ag)

The Latin title for silver, ‘argentumвЂ, is thought to derive initially from a language that is indo-european most most most likely referring to your metalвЂs shininess. The united states Argentina is termed after silver (albeit indirectly as mention of the RГ­o de la Plata) and it is the only country to be called after having a chemical element, as opposed to the other means around.

Tin – Stannum (Sn)

TinвЂs Latin title, ‘stannumвЂ, are produced by the Indo-European ‘stag†(dripping) because tin melts at a temperature that is low. ThereвЂs also speculation maybe it’s produced from the Cornish ‘stean†due to CornwallвЂs tin that is famous, though likewise, other people declare that this term is only produced by the Latin.

Antimony – Stibium (Sb)

The Latin ‘stibium†derives through the Greek word ‘stГ­biвЂ, meaning attention paint, discussing the application of antimony substances being an eye cosmetic that is ancient. This term is in turn likely based on Arabic or Egyptian. Few countries relate to antimony as stibium today, despite its icon.

Tungsten – Wolfram (W)

Wolfram had been called following the mineral it had been present in, wolframite. This will be from the‘wolf that is german, or ‘wolfвЂs foamвЂ, talking about the quantity of tin ‘eaten†because of the steel during its removal. Wolfram remains used in a few languages. Tungsten is from Swedish, and means hefty rock – significantly apt, since itвЂs the 7th densest element when you look at the regular dining dining dining table.

Silver – Aurum (Au)

The Latin title for gold had been ‘aurumвЂ, meaning ‘yellowвЂ, derived through the word ‘aurora†(‘dawnвЂ). The name ‘goldвЂ, used in Germanic languages, means ‘yellow, shining metalвЂ; a number of other European languages utilize derivatives of aurum.

Mercury – Hydrargyrum (Hg)

MercuryвЂs initial Latin title was actually ‘argentum vivum†(living silver), but Latin later borrowed through the Greek ‘hydrargyros†(fluid silver) to provide ‘hydrargyrumвЂ. The initial English title for the element ended up being ‘quicksilverвЂ. Alchemists considered that it is near to silver, and this is why they known as it Mercury, following the earth closest towards the Sun. A few of the other metals understood since antiquity received names corresponding to your planets, too, but MercuryвЂs is alone thatвЂs stuck.

Lead – Plumbum

LeadвЂs Latin title, ‘plumbumвЂ, most most likely originally derives from a language Ancient that is pre-dating Greek. This Latin name normally the foundation regarding the English words that is‘plumbing ‘plumberвЂ, because of the historic utilization of lead in water pipelines.

References & Further Reading