Element Oddities: 11 Chemical Symbols that is confusing Explained

Almost all of the chemical symbols for elements when you look at the table that is periodic sense; you can find a little selection, nonetheless, that seem to bear no reference to their element’s title. A few days ago, questions about these elements came up, so here’s a look at their confusing symbols, along with the reasons behind them after the periodic table of rejected element names.

Sodium – Natrium (Na)

Sodium’s Latin name, ‘natrium’, derives through the Greek ‘nítron’ (a true title for salt carbonate). Its initial supply will probably be the work ‘natrun’ that is arabic. Lots of contemporary languages nevertheless call the element natrium as opposed to salt, plus it’s this title that its symbol that is chemical, originates from.

Potassium – Kalium (K)

‘Kalium’ is potassium’s Latin name, and derives from the Arabic ‘al qal ī y’, meaning “calcined ashes” (the ashes remaining when plant product is burned). Just like salt, lots of contemporary languages still relate to potassium as kalium, as well as the title lends the element its chemical expression, K.

Iron – Ferrum (Fe)

Iron’s Latin title, ‘ferrum’, offers it its expression Fe; it simply means ‘iron’ or ‘sword’, and it is possibly of Semitic origin. The element is famous by many different names in various languages, with a few sources suggesting there are over 200 names that are different it. There’s an inventory of 213 of those right right right right here.

Copper – Cuprum (Cu)

There’s no shortage of elements known as after places, but copper’s title is much more simple than many. Copper’s Latin title had been ‘cyprium’, which it self arises from ‘kypros’, the Greek title for Cyprus. The area of Cyprus ended up being centuries that are famous because of its copper reserves. The title had been sooner or later simplified to ‘cuprum’, and also this sooner or later morphed to the English variation, copper.

Silver – Argentum (Ag)

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

Tin – Stannum (Sn)

Tin’s Latin title, ‘stannum’, could be produced from the Indo-European ‘stag’ (dripping) because tin melts at a temperature that is low. There’s also speculation it might be produced from the Cornish ‘stean’ as a result of Cornwall’s famous tin mines, though likewise, other people declare that this term is just based on the Latin.

Antimony – Stibium (Sb)

The Latin ‘stibium’ derives through the Greek word ‘stíbi’, 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 nations relate to antimony as stibium today, despite its sign.

Tungsten Wolfram that is)

Wolfram ended up being known as after the mineral it had been present in, wolframite. This is certainly from the‘wolf that is german, or ‘wolf’s foam’, talking about the total amount of tin ‘eaten’ by the steel during its removal. Wolfram continues to be utilized in a few languages. Tungsten is from Swedish, and means hefty rock – significantly apt, since it’s the 7th element that is densest when you look at the regular dining dining table.

Silver – Aurum (Au)

The Latin title for gold had been ‘aurum’, meaning ‘yellow’, derived through the word ‘aurora’ (‘dawn’). The name ‘gold’, used in Germanic languages, means ‘yellow, shining metal’; a number of other European languages utilize derivatives of aurum.

Mercury – Hydrargyrum (Hg)

Mercury’s original Latin title was actually ‘argentum vivum’ (living silver), but Latin later borrowed through the Greek ‘hydrargyros’ (fluid silver) to offer ‘hydrargyrum’. The initial English title for the element ended up being ‘quicksilver’. Alchemists considered that it is near to silver, and this is why they called it Mercury, following the earth closest into the Sun. A few of the other metals known since antiquity got names corresponding to your planets, too, but Mercury’s is alone that’s stuck.

Lead – Plumbum

Lead’s Latin title, ‘plumbum’, most most likely originally derives from a language Ancient that is pre-dating Greek. This Latin name normally the foundation regarding the English words ‘plumbing’ and ‘plumber’, because of the historic usage of lead in water pipelines.

References & Further Reading