The DERIVATIONS of the NAMES of the ELEMENTS - ACS Publications

shores of the Black Sea. ... an unknown black mineral received about 100 years .... the metal mercury after the nimble messenger of the gods. MOLYBDEN...
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The DERIVATIONS of the NAMES of the ELEMENTS SAUL S. HAUREN Brooklyn Technical High School, Brooklyn, New York

ACTINIUM,Ac. A radioactive element with light-sensitive compounds, discovered by Debierne in 1899 and independently by Giesel in 1902. The name is derived from the Greek, b r d s , ~ K T " Y O S , for beam or ray. ALABAMINE, Ab. Element 85, also known as eka-iodine. Discovered in 1931 by Dr. Fred Allison and co-workers of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. So-called in honor of the state of Alabama. ALUMINUM,AL. The early Romans applied the term alumen to any substance with a stringent taste. In the Middle Ages, the double salt, obtained from the mineral (now known as alunite), was called alum. F. Wohler, in 1827, was the first to prepare the metal, in powdered form, from aluminum chloride obtained from alum. The metal was a t first called alumium by Davy, who later changed the name to aluminum. The name aluminium is preferred by many chemists

of the United States and Great Britain. The commercial name of the element is aluminum. ANTIMONY, Sb. Berthelot believes that the metal was known to the ancient Chaldeans. The mineral stibnite has been known for hundreds of years in the East. The powdered substance was used in medicine as an eye salve and also for the blackening of the eyebrows and eyelashes. The mineral is often referred to in the Arabian Nights' Entertainments as kohl. The Latins called it stibium, after the Greek, uii& the word for mark, since the mineral was used as a pigment. Basilius Valentinus, in 1450, made mention of the preparation and properties of the metal itself. The metal was also described about 1520 by Biringuccio. The word stibium was changed by Geber to antimonium. This is probably based on the Greek expression, bvri rc6vo~,against one. A possible reason

Br., Isolated in 1826 by Balard from salts for the use of this name may be found in the follow- B R O M ~ found in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The ing sentences by Valentinus: "He who would write of antimony needs a great consideration and a most element was so named after the Greek word for stench, flu&pos, because of the unpleasant odor of the ample mind. . . In a word, one man's life is liquid. Element had been discovered by Lowig in too short to be perfectly acquainted with all its mys1825, hut Balard announced his discovery prior to teries." Wwig. ARGON,A . Discovered in 1895 among the gases of the atmosphere by Ramsay and Rayleigh. So named CADMIUM, Cd. The Greeks used the term ~ a B p l afor by them after the Greek bpyb, inactive, because of the zinc ore (now known as calamine) found on the the element's incapacity for combining with other shores of the Black Sea. The ancient brass workers elements. found a brown dust in the flues of their furnaces ARSENIC,AS. The ancients were familiar with the which they called cadmia. I t is possible that the minerals, realgar and orpiment. Dioscorides and first discovery of the ore or flue dust was made in the Theophrastus, early Greek writers, were familiar old province of Boeotia, where the mythological with the powerful medicinal properties of orpiment. Cadmus founded the city of Thebes. Hence we have They called it bpmvrrbv after the Greek hppqv for a probable origin of the name. Stromeyer, in 1817, male or potent. The Latins later called it arsenicum. while examining a pharmaceutical product supposed I t is believed that Albertus Magnus, about 1250, to contain zinc oxide, found that an impurity was obtained the metal in pure form, but this is uncertain. present which proved to be a new element. Since BARIUM, Ba. Scheele, in 1774, while examining mangathis element was also found in the flue dust of zinc nese ores, discovered a new earth differentfrom chalk. furnaces, he named it cudmia fornacum. Stromeyer In 1779, Guyton de Morveau proposed the name isolated the metal somewhat later that year. barote for this earth owing to its great weight. This CALCIUM, Ca. Compounds of calcium have been used name was changed by Lavoisier to baryta. (The for building purposes since very early times. The Greek word for heavy is Baphs.) Davy, in 1808, isoelement was isolated in 1808 as an amalgam by Davy, lated the metal as an amalgam. Berzelius and Ponand independently by Berzelius and Poutin. Davy tin also prepared the metal at about the same time as stated that he was indebted to Berzelius for the isoDavy. The element wascalled barium because of its lation of the element. They called the metal calcium presence in barytes. after the Latin calx, for lime and limestone, in which B E R ~ L I UBe; M , ( G ~ u c mGl). , In 1797, Vauquelin the element was found. isolated the oxide of a new element in the mineral CARBON, C. This element was known to the ancients beryl. The metal itself was isolated independently in the form of charcoal, coal, and soot. The Latin by Wohler and Bussy in 1828. Since the salts of this word for these substances is carbo. element have a sweet taste, the, name glucinum was CERIUM, Ce. In 1803, Klaproth, simultaneously with suggested, after the Greek yXvrvs, sweet, from which Berzelius and Hisinger, discovered an earth in the is derived the Latinized form glucina. The gem-stone mineral (now known as cerite) which contained a beryl, in which the element was originally found, was new element. I t was Berzelius who definitely proved called BhpvXXos by the Greeks. This term is of unthat it was an element. The planetoid Ceres had certain origin and was applied by them to many been discovered by Piazzi in 1801. The new element other brilliant gem-stones. Wohler called the new cererium in honor of the new planetoid, was called element beryllium because of its presence in beryl but this was soon changed to cerium. The pure and this is the name commonly accepted by chemists. metal was prepared by Hillebrand and Norton in BISMUTH, Bi. The ancients failed to distinguish bis1875. muth from lead and tin. Basilius Valentiuus, in 1450, called the metal &smut. Paracelsus called it CESIUM,CS. This was the first metal to be discovered by means of the spectroscope. In 1860, Bunsen and wissmut. The Germans of the Middle Ages named it Kichhoff, while examining the mineral constituents Weissmuth meaning white matter,,probably after the of certain spring waters, discovered two bright blue color of the oxide. Agricola Latinized the wissmut to lines near the blue strontium line. The element was bisemutum, a term of unknown origin. In 1753, named cesium by them after the Latin for bluish Claude Geoffroy showed definitely that it is an indigray, ccesius. The metal was isolated in 1882 by vidual metal. Setterberg. BORON,B . The salt, borax, was exported to Central Europe from Central Asia long before the Middle CHLORINE, C1. Discovered in 1774 by Scheele, who called it "dephlogisticated muriatic acid." BertholAges. This word was derived from the Arabic for let regarded it as a compound of muriatic acid and white, borak, a name applied to many white suboxygen, calling it "oxygenized muriatic acid." In stances during the Middle Ages. The element was 1810-11, Davy proved the gas to be an element and isolated impure in 1808 by Gay-Lussac and Thenard. Davy later prepared the element by the electrolysis of named it chlorine after the Greek word xXopbs for boric acid and proposed the name boracium for it. pale green, or greenish yellow, the color of the element. This was later changed to boron.

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APRIL, 1933 ~HROMIUM, Cr. m i l e investigating a new mineral (crocoisite) from Siberia, Vauquelin, in 1797, discovered a new element. The name chromium was suggested by Fourcroy and Haiiy after the Greek word xpi3pu,color, because of its colored compounds. I n 1798, Vauquelin prepared the metal itself. COBALT, ~h~ term cob& is met with in the writingsof ~ ~ i l i ~ paracelsus, ~ ~ ~ al n d~~ g r~i c .t ola. This word was used in referring to metallic ores which did not yield metals when treated in the usual manner. This failure was attributed t o the presence of evil spirits or goblins. ~h~ G~~~~~ word for these supernatural beings is Kobold, hence the name of the element. The metal was named by G Brandt, who isolated i t in 1735. Cb; (NIOBIUM,Nb). Discovered in 1801 COLUMBIUM, by Hatchett while working in the British Museum on an unknown black mineral received about 100 years before from the State of Connecticut in the United States. He named the mineral co~umbiteand the element columbium, in honor of America. From the investigations of Wollaston in 1809, chemists believed that the elements columbium and tantalum were ideutical. In 1846, Rose investigated the apparent similarity of these elements, H~ did not separate the acids of these elements during the course of his work. He was able, however, to conclude that one of these elements was tantalum and the other was another element, which he called niobium, after Niobe, daughter of Tantalus. In 1865, Deville and Troost proved that niobium is identical with the columbium of Hatchett. Marignac, in 1866, actually separated columbic (niobic) and tantalic acids. The name columbium is the one commonly used in America, while niobium is that preferred by European &emists. The metal itself was first isolated in 1866 by Blomstrand. COPPER,CU. The metal has been known from prehistoric times. The bronze age followed the stone age. According to Pliny, the Romans first obtained copper from the island of Cyprus, the Greek name of which was ~ w p o s . The Latin name was originally aes cyP7ium. This was changed to cyP7ium and later which became the name of the From this word, the present English, French, and German names are derived. D Y S P R O S DY. ~ , In 1879, Cleve, while working on erbia earth, discovered the earth holmia. Lecoq de Boisbaudran, in 1886, separated the holmia into the elements holmium and dysfirosium. The latter name was proposed by h i m after the Greek word, dumpbarros, hard to get at, because of the difficulties attending the separation of this element from the other earths present. The pure earth was isolated in 1906 by Urbain. ERBIUM,Er. One of t h e elements obtained from the mineral gadolmite, which was first found in the mines of the town of Ytterby in Sweden. The erbia earth was discovered in 1843 by Mosander when he sepa-

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229 rated yttria into terbia, erbia, and yttria earths. The element was named after the town of Ytterby. Eu. One of the rarest elements of the rare EUROPIUM, earth group. The earth samaria, discovered in 1879 by Lecoq de Boisbaudran, was shown to consist of two elements, samarium and europium, by Demar~ay in 1896. Demar~ayisolated the pure earth euro* i in ~1901. ~ ~The, element is named after the continent of Europe. FLUORINE,F. The mineral now known as fluorspar was called fluor lapis by Agricola in 1529 It is also mentioned in the writings of Basilius Valentinus. The mineral had 10% been used as a flux in metallurgy because of its low melting ~ o i n t he name, fluor is derived from the Latin jfuo, to flow. The existence of the element was first made known by Scheele in 1771 when he prepared hydrofluoric acid. The element was not isolated until 1886 by Moissan. Gd. Marignac, in 1886, isolated the oxGADOLINIUM, ide of a new element in the terbia earth obtained from the mineral samarskite, Lecoq de Boisbaudran named the element in honor of the Finnish chemist Gadolin, who, in 1794, had discovered the first of the rare-earth minerals (now known as gadolinite) in the mines of the town of Ytterby in Sweden. Very pure gadolinia earth was isolated in 1905 by Urbain and Lacombe. Ga. In 1869, Mendel&&predicted the presGALLIUM, ence of a new element which he called "eka-aluminum." The element was discovered in 1875 by Lecoq de Boisbaudran, while examining specimens of zinc blende. He found two new violet lines in the spark spectrum. He patriotically named the element after the Latin name for France, Gallia. Isolated pure in 1878 by Lecoq de Boisbaudran and Jnngfleisch. Ge. The presence of this element had GERMANIUM, been predicted in 1869 by Mendel@, who called it Meka-silicon.u The element was discovered by Wmkler in 1886 in the mineral argyrodite, It was named in honor of Germany, the Latin name of which was ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ h . GOLD,A ~ .h l d ornaments have been found in E ~ ~ ~ . ~h~ ti^ tiau tombs of the prehistoric stone word aurum, which was in use in early times, is trace~ ~ ~ ~ of~ the d D ~ d ~~ ~~ , ~~ . able to the name A Hence, the word aurora means morning glow or shining dawn. The term gold is attributed to the Sanskrit jwalita, derived from jwal, to shine. The Teutonic word gulth for glowing or shining metal was passed on to the Esthonians, who called it kuU and to the Lapps, who called it golle. I f f . In 1911, Urbain announced that he had HAFNIUM, discovered a new element, which he called celtium. 72, which is his element has an atomic identical with that of the element hafnium, discovered in 1923 by Coster and Hevesy in zirconium minerals. The latter two named the element in honor of the city of Copenhagen, the old name of which was Ha*.

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HELIUM, He. During an eclipse of the sun, observed in India by Janssen in 1868, a new line was observed in the spectrum. Frankland and Lockyer decided that a new element was indicated. They suggested the present name after the Greek word for sun, &v. Hillebrand, in 1889, had obtained a gas on heating the mineral cleveite and wrongly concluded that this gas was nitrogen. In 1895, Ramsay, while seeking a clue to compounds of argon, repeated Hillebrand's experiment. He discovered the new element helium, which Hillebrand had thought to be nitrogen. This was shown to be identical with the element found in the chromosphere of the sun, hence the name. HOLMIUM, Ho. In 1879, Cleve, while working on erbia earth, discovered two new elements, holmium and thulium. In 1886, Lecoq de Boisbaudran found the element dysprosium in the oxide of holmium. He retained the name holmium for the element which gave the most characteristic absorption bands of the old holmium of Cleve. The element was named in honor of the city of Stockholm, capital of Sweden, the Latinized form being Holmia. The pure holmia earth was isolated in 1911 by Holmberg. HYDROGEN, H. First recognized as an element in 1766 by Cavendish. Since it burned in air to form water, Lavoisier named it hydrogen after the Greek, ;'Gwp. water, and rev$, to be born. n. The end fractions of neodymium and ILLINIUM, samarium residues by means of X-ray spectrum analysis indicated the presence of a new element This was discovered in 1926 by Hopkins and Harris at the University of Illinois. Named by them in honor of the State of Illinois. INDIUM, In. Discovered in 1863 by Reich and Richter while examining specimens of zinc blende. They observed two new indigo-blue lines in the spark spec: tra. The color of these lines suggested the name of the element. They later isolated the element. I. Discovered in 1812 by Courtois, a manufacIODINE, turer of saltpeter, while investigating the products obtained from the ashes of kelp or, seaweed. The name is derived from the Greek Iw&p, violet-like, with reference to the color of the vapor of the element. This name was chosen in 1814 by Gay-Lussac when he proved it to be an element. IRIDIUM,Ir. Discovered in 1804 by Tennant while examining platinum ores. He called the element iridium after the Latin, iris, iridis, rainbow, because of the variety of colors displayed by the salt solutions of the element. IRON,Fe. Iron articles that were made about 25003000 B.C. have been found in Egypt. The Latin term ferrum is related to the term fir-mus, firmness. The English word iron is derived from the AngloSaxon iren, of unknown origin. Kr. Discovered in 1898 by Ramsay and KRYPTON, Travers in the residues obtained by evaporating large volumes of liquid air. It is so-called after the Greek , or hidden. word, ~ p m S concealed

LANTHANUM, La. In 1839, Mosander, while working on a supposed nitrate of cerium, found what he thought to be an element. He called it lanthnum after the Greek term, Xav~&verv,to be hidden. In 1843, he separated from the oxide of the so-called element a new element, which he called didymium from the Greek word, GtGvfios, twin. This was later separated into neodymium and praseodymium. The metal itself was isolated in 1923 by Kremers and Stevens. LEAD,Pb. The Babylonians engraved inscriptions on thin plates of lead. The Latin term for the metal, plumbum, is related to the Greek word for lead, p6XuB8os. Lead was often confused with tin. Pliny called lead plumbum nigrum and tin plumbum album or plumbum candidum. The English name for the element is derived from the Anglo-Saxon ldaa!,of unknown origin. LITHIUM,Li. Discovered in 1817 by Arfvedson in the minerals petalite and spodnmene. At the time of its discovery, it was believed that the presence of the element was confined to the mineral kmgdom. Hence its name, after the Greek word for stone, XIBos. Bunsen and Kiichhoff later disproved this belief by showing the presence of the element in plants. Bnnsen and Matthiessen isolated the metal in 1855. LUTECIUM, Lu. Separated as the erbia earths with ytterbia in 1878 by Marignac. Urbain, in 1907, and von Welsbach, in 1908, independently, separated the ytterbia into two new elements. One of these is discussed under ytterbium. The other element was named lutecium by Urbain and cassiopeium by von Welsbach. Since Urbain was the prior discoverer, the name suggested by him was adopted by the International Committee. The name lnteciurn was given in honor of Urbain's native city of Paris, the ancient name being Lutetia Parisiorum. MAGNESIUM, Mg. In 1695, Dr. Nehemiah Grew told of a medicinal salt found by him in a mineral spring at Epsom in England. This salt is the familiar Epsom salt. Early in the 18th century, a white basic carbonate of magnesium was found in the district of Thessaly known as Magnesia. This material was known as magnesia alba. Davy, in 1808, obtained an impure metal by electrolysis and named it magnium. At that time, the terms magnesium and manganesium were both applied to the element manganese obtained from the mineral pyrolusite (magnesia nigrum). To avoid confusion, the term magnesium was used in naming the element obtained from magnesia alba and manganese to that obtained from magnesia nigrum. Bussy, in 1831, prepared the metal in the pure state. MANGANESE, Mn. Compounds of manganese were used by the Ancients to bleach glass. These compounds were known as magnes, the Latin for magnet. The mineral Braunstein (pyrolusite) was known as magnesiu nigrum and was confused with magnetic oxide of iron. In 1740, Pott proved that the mineral did not contain iron. Scheele and Bergman, in 1774, stated that the mineral was the oxide of a

metal different from any then known. In the same OSMIUM,0 s . Discovered in 1803 by Tennant. The name is derived from the Greek word, o.&, year, Gahn isolated the element. I t was called smell, manganese to distinguish it from magnesium, the elebecause of the sharp odor of the volatile oxide. ment obtained from magnesia alba. OXYGEN, 0. First prepared by Scheele in 1771. Independently prepared by Priestley in 1774 who used MASURIUM, Ma. Noddack, Tacke, and Berg, in 1925, methods similar to those of Scheele. Scheele did not discovered a new element in platinum ores and in publish his results until 1777; consequently, Priestley columbite by means of X-ray spectra examination. is credited with the discovery. Lavoisier, in his They named the element after the East Prussian studies of the gas, found that on burning sulfur and Lakes in the region of Masuria. phosphorus, and dissolving the products in water, MERCURY, Hg. This element was known to the ancient acids were obtained. He concluded that the element Chinese and Hindus. Aristotle called the metal was an acid producer and pamed i t oxygen after the "fluid silver" or "quicksilver." Dioscorides, a Greek Greek, bgls (acid) and -ycvqs. writer, gave a method of its preparation from cinnaPd. Discovered in 1803 by Wollaston, bar. He called the metal z6wp hyvpos, liquid sil- PALLADIUM, who named i t in honor of the planetoid Pallas, which ver. Pliny wrote of it as kydrargyrum, a name dehad been discovered in 1802 by Olbers. rived from the Greek. The ancient chemists called P . Discovered in 1669 by H. Brandt, the metal mercury after the nimble messenger of the PHOSPHORUS, who kept it a secret. Also independently prepared gods. by Boyle and Kunckel. It was so-named because of Mo. The Greek word for lead is MOLYBDENUM, its property of glowing in the dark, after the Greek, pbhp6os. This term was used to denote any black +wu+bpos, light-bearing. mineral, such as galena, stibnite, pyrolusite, and Pt. Berthelot tells of an alloy of platinum, graphite, which left a mark on paper. The mineral PLATINUM, gold, and iridiumused to form hieroglyphics a t Thebes molybdena nitens, now known as molybdenite, was in Egypt, during the 7th century B.C. Pliny refers supposed to be identical with graphite, then known as to a metal aluta, which is thought to have been platiplumbago or black lead. In 1778, Scheele, while num. The metal was found by the early Spaniards treating some molybdenite with nitric acid, obtained in Mexico and South America. It first attracted the a white residue with acid properties. He called this attention of de Ulloa in 1735 while he was in South acidum molybdenue, molybdic add. Bergman sugAmerica. Wood, in 1741, sent a sample of the metal gested to Scheele that this must be the oxide of a to England from South America. Watson, in 1750, new metal. At Scheele's suggestion, Hjelm worked was the first to describe it as a new semi-metal. The on this oxide and, in 1782, obtained the pure metal. name is derived from the Spanish word platina, a NEODYMIUM, Nd. This was originally reported by diminutive form of the word for silver, plata. Mosander in 1843 as the element didymium. In Po. The first radioactive substance sepa1885,von Welsbach separated the didymium into two POLONIUM, rated from pitch-residues in 1898 by Mme. Curie. new elements, which he named neodidymia and She named the element in honor of Poland, the praseodidymia. These names were later changed to country of her birth. It is also known as radium F. their present form. Neodymium is so-called after POTASSIUM, K. Sodium carbonate, which was iirst the Greek, vCos GiGvpos, new twin. obtained from the ashes of sea plants, was confused NEON,Ne. Isolated by Ramsay and Travers in 1898 with the potassium carbonate from the ashes of land from residues obtained on evaporation of large volplants. The Arabic term for both was the shortened umes of liquid air. Named after the Greek word term alkali, from a1 (the) qali, ashes of the salt wort vi.os, new. (a sea plant used to make sodium carbonate). In NICKEL,Ni. The Chinese produced a natural alloy of 1736, Duhamel du Monceau pointed out the d i e r copper and nickel called paktong long before the metal ence between the two substances. The term potash was known in Europe. In Germany, toward the was suggested by Klaprotb because of the manner of end of the 17th century, a reddish brown ore was making this substance. The wood ashes were used to color glass green. This is now known as leached and the solution evaporated to dryness in niccolite. The miners called i t Kupfernickel or iron pots, hence the word potash from "pot-ashes." "false copper" because, although resembling copper The word alkali has furnished the Latinized name of ores in appearance, no copper could be obtained from the element, kalium. The metal was isolated in 1807 them. In 1751, Cronstedt showed that these ores by Davy who named it potassium since he obtained it contained a new metal, which be therefore called from potash. nickel. PRASEODYMIUM, PI. This element was originally reNITROGEN, ported in 1843 by Mosander as didymium. In 1885, N . Discovered in 1772 by Daniel Rutherford. The gas was originally known as "mephitic von Welsbach separated the didymium into two new elements, neodidymia and praseodidymia. These air," but Lavoisier called i t azote, after the Greek b- fw;, because of its inability to support life. On names were later shortened to their present form. Praseodymium is derived from the Greek, ?rpo'utos account of its presence in niter, Chaptal suggested the present name after the Greek, virpov-yrv;s. 6i8upos, green twin, because of the pale green salts it

232 forms. The metal was isolated in 1904 by Muthmann and Weiss. PROTOACTINIUM, Pa. This element, also known as ekatantalum and U-XZ, was isolated in 1917 by Hahn and Meitner, and independently by Soddy, from pitchblende residues. I t is considered the missing link between uranium-Y and actinium. Since it is the parent of actinium, which it forms by the loss of an alpha particle, the name protoactinium was given to it, after the Greek word for first, ?rpijros. RADIUM, Ra. Discovered in 1898 by Pierre and Marie Curie with G. Bemont. Named by them because of its tremendous ray-emitting power, after the Latin word for a beam or ray, radius. RADON, Rn. A colorless, gaseous element which, when highly concentrated and at low temperatures, is brightly luminous. Because of its emanating power, it was at %st suggested that the name "emanium" be given to it. The element was also known as "radium emanation," since it is emitted by the element radium. I t was discovered in 1900 by Dorn but was isolated in 1908 by Ramsay and Gray, who named it n i t a , after the Latin term for shining, nitens. Since 1923, the element has been called radon, to indicate its origin. RHENIUM, Re. Discovered in 1925 by Noddack, Tacke, and Berg by means of X-ray spectra examination. The element was found associated with masurium in platinum ores and in columhite. So-called after the Rhine Province or Rhenish Prussia. RHODIUM, Rh. Discovered in 1803 by Wollaston in crude platinum ores. He named it after the Greek word for rose, bbaov, because of the rose color of the dilute solutions of its salts. RUBIDIUM,Rb. Discovered in 1861 by Bunsen and Kirchhoff by means of the spectroscope, while examining the mineral lepidolite. In the spectrum were two deep red lines, lying beyond Fraunhofer's line in the outermost portion of the red of the solar spectrum. They named the element rubidium after the Latin for red, rubidus. RUTHENIUM, Ru. In 1828, Osann announced that he had found three new metals in some crude platinum ores from the Ural Mountains. He named one of these ruthenium, in honor of Russia, the old name of which was Ruthenia. He later withdrew this claim. In 1845, Klaus (Claus) proved that Osann's mixture of metals did contain a new element. I t was not until then that its existence was accepted. The original name has been retained. SAMARIUM, Sa. Discovered in 1879 by Lecoq de Boisbaudran in the mineral samarskite. This mineral had been named in honor of a Russian mine official, Samarski. Between the years 1896 and 1900 Demarcay separated the supposed element samarium into two elements, one of which is known as samarium and the other europium. SCANDIUM, SC. The presence of this element was predicted in 1871 by Mendel&&, who called it "ekaboron." I t was discovered by Nilson in 1879, while

studying the earth ytterhia obtained from the minerals gadolinite and euxenite. The element was named by Nilson in honor of Scandinavia, to recall the fact that the minerals in which it had been found. up to that time, had been fonnd only in that part of Europe. SELENIUM, Se. During an examination of a deposit formed in the lead chambers of a sulfuric acid plant, Berzelius, in 1817, discovered a new element. He thought a t first that it was tellurium. Since it is frequently associated with tellurium (earth element) and because of its resemblance to it. Berzelius called it selenium (moon element) after the Greek word for moon, ueh~vq. SILICON,Si. In 1810, Berzelius announced that silica was the oxide of a new element, which he called silicium, assuming it to be a metal. This was later shown to be wrong and its name was changed to the present form. The pure element was isolated in 1823 by Berzelius. The name is derived from the Latin word for flint, silex. SILVER,Ag. The metal was known to the ancient Egyptians and is mentioned in the Bible. The Latin term argentum is derived from the Sanskrit word bright, ,argums. From this is obtained the Greek form, hpyupos, shining. The English name of the element is derived from the Anglo-Saxon seolfor, of unknown origin. SODIUM, Nu. (See Potassium.) Klaproth assigned the name natron to the mineral alkali fonnd in trona. The English equivalent for mtron is soda. The word soda was used in the Middle Ages to denote alkaline ssubstances. The Latinized name of the element is natrium, from natron. The element was isolated in 1807 by Davy, who called it sodium, a Latinized derivative of the word soda. He had used caustic soda in the preparation of the element. STRONTIUM, Sr. Crawford, Hope, and Klaproth during the years 179C93 had found that a mineral supposed to be witherite, contained a new earth. This was found in the lead mines of Strontian in England. This mineral was named strontianite. The element was isolated by Davy in 1808 and named strontium since it had been obtained by electrolysis' of compounds obtained from this mineral. SULP~R, S. Pliny described the Italian and Sicilian sulfur deposits in detail. He mentioned its use in medicine and for burning purposes. In early literature, the word sulfur was used to designate all combustible substances. In the Middle Ages, sulfur was known as brenne stone, combustible stone, from which the name brimstone is derived. The Latin name is either sulfur or sulpur, supposed to have been derived from the Sanskrit sulneri. Lavoisier's investigations led to its being recognized as an element. TANTALUM, Ta. (See Columbium.) While analyzing the minerals now known as tantalite and yttrotantalite, Ekeberg, in 1802, discovered a new element. Because of its insolubility in acids and since it had been such a tantalizing task to find it, he suggested

the name tantalum. The name recalls the Greek siterides. Julius Caesar ohtained tin from the mines myth about Tantalus since the element "when in Cornwall. The English word, tin, has been passed placed in the midst of acids is incapable of taking any down from the Anglo-Saxon. TITANIUM,Ti. While examining a black, magnetic of them up." sand found in the Menacban Valley, in Cornwall, the TELLURIUM,Te. The existence of a new elemeut had Reverend Gregor discovered a new element. He been suggested by the experiments of Mluler von suyqestcd the name menachanite for the clement. Reichenstein in 1782. He had isolated a pure metal The mincral studied bv him is now known as ilmenite. from a gold ore, and thought it to he antimony. Klaproth, in 1795, fohnd the element in the mineral Upon further examination, he concluded that it was rutile and proved its presence in ilmenite. He a new elemeut. Bergman also believed it to be a new element. The discovery was overlooked for recommended the name titanium, after the giants of Greek mythology, the Titans. He said, "In order to sixteen years until Klaproth, in 1798, c o n h e d the avoid giving rise to erroneous ideas, it is best to work of Muller von Reichenstein and announced it to choose a name which means nothing in itself, whenthe public. The name is derived from the Latin, ever no name can be found which indicates the pecutellus, telluris, and signifies earth element. liar and characteristic properties of a substance." TERBIUM,Tb. Discovered in 1843 by Mosander, when he separated yttria into terbia, erbia, and yttria The pure metal was prepared in 1910 by Hunter. earths. Lecoq de Boishaudran, in 1895, and Urhain TUNGSTEN,1T. Scheele, in 1781, showed that the in 1904, proved conclusively the presence of the new mineral known as tungsten (Swedish word for " h a w stone") and thought to he an ore of tin, contained a element. Pure terbia was isolated in 1905 by Urhain. It is so-called after the town of Ytterby, in peculiar acid combined with lime. He called this Sweden, in the mines of which the gadoliuite which acid tungstic acid. The mineral is now known as scheelite. The German word Wolfram and its had yielded the element was found. Latinized form woIframium are traceable to Agricola, THALLIUM,TI. Discovered in 1861 by Crookes in selenium residues found in a sulfuric acid factory in who referred to the mineral wolframite as ','eating up tin as a wolf eats up the sheep." This expression is the Hartz Mountains. Also found independently in easily understood if one recalls that wolframite is 1862 by Lamy. Crookes found a single bright green usually associated with tin. Bergman showed the line in the spectrum, indicating the presence of a new metallic nature of the new element. In 1784, the element. The name is derived from the Greek word brothers d'Elhujar prepared the metal for the f i s t for green or budding twig, BahXos. THORIUM, Th. In 1815 Berzelius found, in the mineral time. gadolinite, a new earth which he called thoria after URANIUM,U. Previous to 1789, the mineral pitchThor, the Scandmavian God of War. In 1825, he blende was considered an ore of zinc, iron, or tungsten. In that year, Klaproth isolated from the mineral an became convinced that this earth was a basic phosphate of yttrium. In 1828, while examining the oxide, which he concluded was the oxide of a new mineral now known as thorite, he discovered the new element. He named the element uranium in honor of the planet Uranus which had been discovered in element with properties similar to the former earth thoria, so he transferred the name. Berzelius pre1781 by Herschel. The metal itself was h t prepared in 1841 by Peligot. pared the metal in impure state in 1829. The pure metal was first prepared in 1914 by Lely and Ham- VANADIUM, V. In 1801, del Rio announced the discovery of a new metal in a lead ore (now known as burger. vanadinite) from Mexico. He proposed the name TAULIUM,Tm. Discovered in erbia earth by Cleve in erythronium after the Greek word for red, (pvOpbs, 1879, and independently by Soret. The ancients because the salts of the element became red when called the inhabited portions of the northernmost heated with acids. Upon further investigation by part of the world (Norway, Sweden, and Iceland) by del Rio and others, it was concluded that the supthe name of ThuZe. The element was named in honor of this region. Pure thulia was isolated in posed new element was impure chromium. In 1831, 1911 by James. Sefstrom found an unknown element in a specimen of very tenacious and ductile wrought iron obtained TIN, Sn. This metal was known to the ancients and was originally thought to be identical with lead. from a certain Swedish iron ore. Sefstrom and BerThe Romans, in the first century A.D., distinguished zelius named it vanadium in honor of the Scandinavian Goddess of Fortune. {'anadis (suruame of Freva). between the two by calling the lead plumbum nigrum, Wbhler, in 1831, re~xamjnedthe del Rio lead ore'kd black lead, and the tin plumbum album, white lead. The tin was sometimes known as plumbum candidum. proved that it contained vanadium also. The metal was isolated by Roscoe in 1869. The word stannum or stagnum was first used by the Romans to indicate certain alloys containing lead, ~IRGINIUM, V i . Element 87, also known as eka-cesium. but was later applied to tin alone. Plimy referred to Discovered in 1930 by Dr. Fred Allison and cotin as ~uooirrpos,probably after the Arabic for tin, workers of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. The element is named in honor of the state of Virginia, in kasdii This name came to be used when refemng to the British Isles, which were known as the Caswhich Dr. Allison was born.

metal may have been first prepared by the Hmdus. Georgius Agricola mentioned the formation of zincurn in smelting furnaces. Paracelsus, in the 16th century, regarded it as a semi-metal and called it zinken. Marggraf prepared the metal by heating gcvos. calamine with charcoal. YTTERBIUM, Yb. Separated from the erbia earths in Zr. Klaproth, in 1789, isolated a new 1878 by Marignac. Originally known as neo- ZIRCONIUM, earth from the mineral zircon from Ceylon. The ytterbia. Urbain, in 1907, and von Welsbach, in mineral is a variety of the hyacinth or jacinth known 1908, independently, showed that the neo-ytterbia from earliest times. The zircon from Ceylon is often consisted of two elements. One of these elements is amber in color. The name of the mineral is probably lutecium. The other was called neo-ytterbium by derived from the Arabic zargun, gold-color. The Urbain and aldebaranium by von Welsbach. Since Arabic term for certain types of precious stones is the work of Urbain preceded that of von Welsbach, zerk, which may also be a source of the name of the he is considered the discoverer and the International mineral. The impure metal was first prepared by Committee has adopted the name of ytterbium. Berzelius in 1824 and it was not until 1914 that the This name is derived from that of the town of Ytterby pure metal was prepared by Lely and Hamburger. in Sweden, in the mines of which many of the rareearth minerals were first found. BIBLIOGRAPHY YTTRIUM,Y. The yttria earths were discovered in FRIEND, J. N., "A textbook of inorganic chemistry." 10 vol1794 by Gadolin in the mineral now known as umes, Chas. Griffin & Co., London, 1926. gadolinite. In 1843, Mosander separated these HOPKINS.B. S.. "Chemistrv of the rarer elements." D. C. Heath &Co., N ~ WYork Cit?, 1923. earths into yttria, terbia, and erbiaearths. TheeleJ. W.. "Modern inarganiccbemistry." Longmans, Green ment yttrium is named by Ekeberg, in honor of the MELLOR, & Co., New York City, 1918. town of Ytterby in Sweden, in the mines of which the WEEKS.M. E.. "The discovemof theelements." 1. CXEM.E ~ u c . . . -&ries'beginning 9.3 an., 1932). mineral gadolinite was first found. & Wagnall's New Standard Dictionary, 1922. ZINC,Zn. The metal was unknown to the ancients, al- Funk Encyclopgdia Brittanica, 14th ed., 1930. though they used zinc ores for making brass. The Various Greek and Latin Dictionaries.

XENON,Xe. Discovered in 1898 by Ramsay and Travers, who obtained it from the residues on evaporation of large volumes of liquid air. The name is the neuter form of the Greek word for strange,