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Some elements in the Periodic Table have symbols which don't seem to match their names because over time their names have changed. The symbols are usually based on earlier versions of their names. Here are some examples....
Sodium (Na) old name Natrium
Potassium (K) old name Kalium
Mercury (Hg) old name Hydragyrum
Tin (Sn) old name Stanum
Antimony (Sb) old name Stibnium
Copper (Cu) Cuprum
Iron (Fe) Ferrum
Lead (Pb) Plumbum
Gold (Au) Aurum
Silver (Ag) Argentium
Tungsten (W) Wulfrum

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Mossie Auer

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2y ago
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14y ago

Some elements in the Periodic Table have symbols which don't seem to match their names because over time their names have changed. The symbols are usually based on earlier versions of their names. Here are some examples....
Sodium (Na) old name Natrium
Potassium (K) old name Kalium
Mercury (Hg) old name Hydragyrum
Tin (Sn) old name Stanum
Antimony (Sb) old name Stibnium
Copper (Cu) Cuprum
Iron (Fe) Ferrum
Lead (Pb) Plumbum
Gold (Au) Aurum
Silver (Ag) Argentium
Tungsten (W) Wulfrum

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14y ago

Because the symbols are actually the symbols for the latin term. Here are some examples:

Name symbol latin term

Iron - Fe - Ferrum

Silver - Ag - Argentum

Gold - Au - Aurum

Tin - Sn - Stannum

Lead - Pb - Plumbum

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12y ago

Some element have symbols based on their Latin names (e.g. gold - aurum) or on other earlier names, which may still be used in different languages.

Elements include:

Antimony - Sb (stibium)

Copper - Cu (cuprum)

Gold - Au (aurum)

Iron - Fe (ferrum) * seen in ferromagnetism

Lead - Pb (plumbum) * same root as plumbing

Mercury - Hg (hydragyrum)

Potassium - K (kalium)

Silver - Ag (argentum)

Sodium - Na (natrium)

Tin - Sn (stannum) * still seen in stannous fluoride

Tungsten - W (wolfram) * still German name

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8y ago

Elements whose symbol begins with a different letter than its English name are :

Sodium (Na)

Potassium (K)

iron (Fe),

silver (Ag),

tin (Sn),

antimony (Sb),

tungsten (W),

gold (Au),

mercury (Hg),

lead (Pb)

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15y ago

Na - Sodium

K - Potassium

Fe - Iron

Ag - Silver

Sn - Tin

Sb - Antimony

W - Tungsten

Au - Gold

Hg - Mercury

Pb - Lead

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12y ago

Some like iron (fe) take thier symbols from the Latin names

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11y ago

Some of the symbols come from their name in Latin or ancient Greek. For example, gold (Au) is Aurum.

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6y ago

true

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Q: Which element's symbol begins with a different letter than its name?
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Continue Learning about Chemistry

Use the symbols W and Hg to explain the system of symbols for elements?

In the symbol W, the single letter is capitalized. In the two-letter symbol Hg, the first letter is a capital and the second letter is lowercase.


What is an element's 'symbol'?

element symbols are abbreviation of elements name like gold's symbol is Au. always first letter is cap. and second is lowered i hope this helped you.


What is the sign or abbreviation to represent an element?

The sign or abbreviation to represent an element is called an "atomic symbol", and there is a distinct one for each element. Every atomic symbol begins with a capital letter, which may constitute the entire symbol but is usually followed by a lower case letter.


Why is the symbol for bromine BR on the periodic table?

While giving symbols to the elements the first letter of the name of the element was used. But in case of two or more elements with same initial the next elements were given symbols containing first two letters. Since boron has symbol B, so bromine got the symbol Br.


What are the symbols for the elements in the periodic table?

If you look at the periodic table (go to webelements.com to see one if you dont have one) the symbol is the letter or two in the middle of each square. For example, the symbol for Hydrogen is "H", the symbol for Potassium is "K", the symbol for neon is "Ne" & The symbol for Carbon is "C". The symbol is always one or two letters, except for the last few elements, which for now have 3, until they get real names.

Related questions

What two elements start with X?

Only one chemical element begins with the letter X. Xenon is a chemical element. It has the symbol Xe. It is the only chemical element that begins with the letter x.


Elements with two letter symbol?

Sodium


How is using symbols how can you distinguish between two different element if both start with the same letter?

Many chemical elements have a two letter symbol.


What Christmas symbol begins with a letter y?

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What is the fraction of how many elements have a symbol that starts with the first letter of the chemical name?

91.5% approx. Most of the rest have a symbol which starts with the first letter of the element's Latin name.


How many elements have the letter X in their chemical symbol?

Xenon has the chemical symbol Xe.


Why is it necessary to have a second letter in the symbol for elements?

If we only used one letter for each element, there could only be 26 elements.


What is one or two letter abriviation for a chemical element?

It is refered to as the Elements symbol.


Elements that have a one letter symbol that is also the first letter of the word?

There are 14 elements with a one letter symbol. However, only 12 of them also start with that letter. They are Hydrogen, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Phosphorus, Sulfur, Yytrium, Vanadium, Uranium, and Iodine.


How does the symbol tungsten get its name?

Tungsten is wulfram, First letter used as the elements symbol. Tungsten is obtained from the ore wolframite.


Use the symbols W and Hg to explain the system of symbols for elements?

In the symbol W, the single letter is capitalized. In the two-letter symbol Hg, the first letter is a capital and the second letter is lowercase.


What is an atomic symbol?

An atomic symbol is a 1-, 2-, or 3-letter code that represents an element. If the symbol consists of one letter, like carbon (C), the letter is capitalized. If the symbol consists of two letters, like magnesium (Mg), the first letter is capitalized, but the second letter is not. The 3-letter codes are for elements that have been recently synthesized and have not been given a permanent name, and for elements that have yet to be synthesized, both of which are given temporary systematic names based on their atomic numbers. An example is element 115, with the symbol Uup, which is currently named ununpentium, which means one, one, five. Eventually this element will be given a permanent name with either a 1-letter or 2-letter symbol.