IV. 

 METALS AND THEIR COMBINATIONS. 



Cobalt, 

 Copper, 



20. GENERAL REMARKS REGARDING METALS. 



OF the total number of sixty metallic elements only about one-half 

 are of sufficient general interest and importance to deserve considera- 

 tion in this book. 



Derivation of names, symbols, and atomic weights. 



Aluminum, Al = 26.9. From alum, a salt containing it. 

 Antimony, Sb = 119.3. From the Greek avrl (anti), against, and raotne, a 

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



monks were poisoned by compounds of antimony. 

 Stibium, from the Greek, orijSi (stibi), the name 

 for the native sulphide of antimony. 

 Arsenic, As = 74.4. From the Greek aposvucbv (arsenicon), the name for 



the native sulphide of arsenic. 



Barium, Ba = 136.4 From the Greek fiapvs (barys), heavy, in allusion to 



the high specific gravity of barium sulphate, or 

 heavy-spar. 



From the German wixmuth, an expression used long 

 ago by the miners in allusion to the variegated 

 tints of the metal when freshly broken. 

 From the Greek nadfida (kadmeia) the old name for 

 calamine (zinc carbonate), with which cadmium 

 is frequently associated. 



Calcium, Ca = 39.8. From the Latin calx, lime, the oxide of calcium. 



Chromium, Cr = 51.7. From the Greek XP"/^ a (chroma), color, in allusion 



to the beautiful colors of all its compounds. 

 Co = 58.56, From the German Kobold, which means a demon 



. inhabiting the mines. 



Cu = 63.1. ' From the Latin cuprum, copper, and this from the 

 Island of Cyprus, where copper was first obtained 

 by the ancients. 

 Gold, Au = 195.7. Gold means bright yellow in several old languages. 



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



Iridium, Ir = 191.5. From iris, rainbow, in allusion to the varying tints 



of its salt solutions. 



Fe = 55.5. Iron probably means metal; the derivation of the 

 Latin ferrum is not definitely known. 



247 



Bismuth, Bi = 206.9. 



Cadmium, Cd =111.6. 



Iron, 



