I am really curious why?
2007-01-14 05:32:43 · 13 answers · asked by --Lost in this world-- 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
It comes from "Latinized Greek: hydrargyrum, meaning watery or liquid silver" -wikipedia
2007-01-14 05:38:16 · answer #1 · answered by Onyx Blackman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Hydrargyrum" is the Latin name for mercury. Same goes for silver Ag, Lead Pb, and sodium Na- all are given symbols based on their latin names.
The fact that the name of so many elements in english correspond with the elemental symbols of the periodic table reflects how much of the english language borrows from latin. Most elements were not first named in English
2007-01-14 05:42:14 · answer #2 · answered by suzie lou 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A lot of symbols for elements known a long time come from the Latin.
Tin is stannum hence Sn
Lead is Plumbum hence Pb
Mercury is Hydragium hence Hg
2007-01-14 23:29:29 · answer #3 · answered by lykovetos 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hg
Latinized Greek: hydrargyrum, meaning watery or liquid silver
2007-01-14 05:39:12 · answer #4 · answered by mn3mosyne 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's short for hydrargium, the old alchemical name for mercury. It comes from the root words for "water" and "silver," because of course mercury is silver in color but flows like water at room temperature.
And though you don't ask... Lead's symbol is Pb because the Latin name for lead is plumbum -- which also gives us the name plumber, because the Romans used lead pipes. Sodium is Na because it comes from the Greek word natron, for salt. And of course, aurum, the Latin word for gold, gives us its chemical symbol, Au.
One of the oddest is tungsten, whose chemical symbol, W, is short for wolfram, which is the Swedish name for its ore. Ironically, tungsten is itself a Swedish word, meaning "heavy stone."
I've included a link to About.com's article on the Periodic Table of the Elements in the Sources field, as well as the lyrics to Tom Lehrer's marvlous song on the same subject.
2007-01-14 05:48:20 · answer #5 · answered by Scott F 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is very likely to be an ancient Greek Alchemist symbol. Anyway, Mercury is also called quick silver and Cinnabar by the ancients. It was swallowed by some to attain immortality.
2007-01-14 05:36:43 · answer #6 · answered by Kaien かいえん 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Latin notice for sodium is natrium. while the the periodic table exchange into being progressed, chemists assigned the emblem "Na" in deference to earlier scientists. There are different simiar examples interior the periodic table. case in point, Silver, image Ag, is from argentum.
2016-10-19 23:28:33 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A lot of element symbols are derived from Latin, Greek, or other languages and Hg is one of them. There are others too (Au is Latin for "aurum," which translates to gold, Ag for silver, W for tungsten, etc). Hope this answers your question.
2007-01-14 07:16:54 · answer #8 · answered by AskerOfQuestions 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It gets its smybol from the Latinized Greek word Hydrargyrum, meaning "Quick Silver"
2007-01-14 08:15:23 · answer #9 · answered by Meresa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is from its latin name Hydra Gyrum.
Hydra meaning liquid.
Gyrum meaning round ; referring to the spherical shape of small amounts when spilt on eg. a flat surface like glass.
2007-01-14 05:53:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋