2006-10-05 12:28:20 · 7 answers · asked by Sota Hawk 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
About a dozen of the elements were knpwn of old and retain their old names in their symbols. Also there are not enough letters of the alphabet for all the elements. S is already sulfur, so sodium is Na for its old name natrium.(it was discovered near Christmas so the name represents birth or nativity) Si is used for silicon so they use the ancient name argentum and Ag for silver.
2006-10-05 12:39:03 · answer #1 · answered by science teacher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Name Some Elements
2016-12-14 19:47:20 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some symbols refer to the latin names of the element, e.g. gold: Au, Aurum; Silver: Ag, Argentium.
2006-10-05 12:37:15 · answer #3 · answered by Odie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the symbols might be taken from the latin word from the element
2006-10-05 12:36:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The symbols come from Latin, so Na, for example, is the symbol for sodium because in Latin its name is Natrium.
2006-10-05 12:36:26 · answer #5 · answered by giannasanmarco 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the other symbol names where taken? I think...
2006-10-05 12:35:56 · answer #6 · answered by laugh2death101 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because latin is used for names
2006-10-05 12:31:15 · answer #7 · answered by nondescript 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋