IV. 



METALS AND THEIR COMBINATIONS. 



18. GENERAL REMARKS REGARDING METALS. 



OF the total number of fifty-three metallic elements, only 

 twenty-six are of sufficient general interest and importance to 

 deserve consideration in this book. 



Derivation of names, symbols, and atomic weights. 



Aluminium, Al = 27. From alum, a salt containing it. 



Antimony, Sb = 120. From the Greek avri (anti), against, and moine, a 



(Stibium) French word for monk, from the fact that some 



monks were poisoned by compounds of antimony. 



Stibium, from the Greek cripi (stibi), the name for 



the native sulphide of antimony. 

 Arsenicum, As = 74.9. From the Greek apaeviKov (arsenicon), the name for 



the native sulphide of arsenic. 

 Barium, Ba = 136.8. From the Greek fiapvg (barys), heavy, in allusion to 



the high specific gravity of barium sulphate, or 



heavy-spar. 

 From the German wismuth, an expression used long 



ago by the miners in allusion to the variegated 



tints of the metal when freshly broken. 

 From the Greek Kad/ieia (kadmeia), the old name for 



calamine (zinc carbonate), with which cadmium is 



frequently associated. 



Calcium, Ca = 40. From the Latin calx, lime, the oxide of calcium. 



Chromium, Cr = 52.4. From the Greek xpufia (chroma), color, in allusion to 



the beautiful colors of all its compounds. 

 Cobalt, Co = 58.9. From the German Kobold, which means a demon, 



inhabiting the mines. 

 Copper, Cu = 63.2. From the Latin cuprum, copper, and this from the 



Island Cyprus, where copper first was obtained by 



the ancients. 



Gold, An = 196.2. Gold means bright yellow in several old languages. 



(Aurum) The Latin aurum signifies the color of fire. 



Iron, Fe = 55.9. Iron probably means metal ; the derivation of the 



Latin ferrum is not definitely known. 



Bismuth. Bi = 210. 



Cadmium, Cd = 111.8. 



