All of the chemical symbols for elements within the table that is periodic sense; you can find a little selection, nevertheless, that seem to bear no regards 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 name for salt carbonate). Its initial supply will probably be the work ‘natrun’ that is arabic. Lots of contemporary languages nevertheless call the element natrium in the place of 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 whenever plant product is burned). Just like sodium, an amount of contemporary languages nevertheless relate to potassium as kalium, while the name lends the element its chemical expression, K.

Iron – Ferrum (Fe)

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

Copper – Cuprum (Cu)

There’s no shortage of elements known as after places, but copper’s title is more subdued than many. Copper’s Latin title had been ‘cyprium’, which it self originates from ‘kypros’, the Greek title for Cyprus. The area of Cyprus ended up being centuries that are famous for the copper reserves. The title ended up being fundamentally 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 most most likely referring to your metal’s shininess. The united states Argentina is termed after silver (albeit indirectly as mention of the Río de la Plata) and it is the only nation to be called after having a chemical element, as opposed to the other means around.

Tin – Stannum (Sn)

Tin’s Latin title, ‘stannum’, might be produced by the Indo-European ‘stag’ (dripping) because tin melts at a minimal heat. 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 produced from the Latin.

Antimony – Stibium (Sb)

The Latin ‘stibium’ derives through the Greek word ‘stíbi’, meaning attention paint, talking about the application of antimony substances as an old eye cosmetic. This term is with in turn likely produced from Arabic or Egyptian. Few nations relate to antimony as stibium today, eHarmony mobile site despite its expression.

Tungsten – Wolfram (W)

Wolfram had been known as following the mineral it had been present in, wolframite. This will be from the German ‘wolf rahm’, or ‘wolf’s foam’, talking about the actual quantity of tin ‘eaten’ because of the steel during its removal. Wolfram remains utilized in a few languages. Tungsten is from Swedish, and means hefty rock – notably apt, since it’s the 7th densest element within 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’; other European languages utilize derivatives of aurum.

Mercury – Hydrargyrum (Hg)

Mercury’s initial Latin title was actually ‘argentum vivum’ (living silver), but Latin later borrowed through the Greek ‘hydrargyros’ (fluid silver) to provide ‘hydrargyrum’. The original English title for the element ended up being ‘quicksilver’. Alchemists considered that it is near to silver, and this is why they known as it Mercury, following the earth closest into the Sun. A number of the other metals understood since antiquity got names corresponding into the 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 origin for the English words ‘plumbing’ and ‘plumber’, as a result of historic utilization of lead in water pipelines.

References & Further Reading