One of the greatest chemical discoveries was undoubtedly the periodic system and law. It was she who made it possible to streamline the elements known at that time, bring all available knowledge into the system, and understand the laws of change in the properties manifested.
When it was created by Mendeleev, only 63 types of atom were known. Today there are 118 of them, and each has its own place, has a number of properties and characteristics. Naturally, your name. Many chemical elements named after scientists, countries, cities, planets and so on, are very important in the life of living beings.
Periodic Table Structure
There are different options for such tables:
- long period;
- short periods;
- extra long.
In total, there are over a hundred different options for graphically displaying the periodic dependence of atoms. And so far, scientists are proposing ever new ways.
Most often use the option of long-period and short-period tables. Each chemical particle has its own cell, which reflects the basic information about it. So, you can see a brief electronic configuration of the outer shell of the atom, serial number, atomic mass (average value between all types of isotopes) and, of course, the name. In our country - in translation into Russian, in others - in their language. How is this or that atom name formed and depends on what?
Many chemical elements are named after scientists, some in honor of cities and countries, geographical objects, and some more in honor of mythical heroes, gods, objects of Space. Many are given names according to the simple substances they form or the color that the substance gives in spectrometric analysis.
Properties of chemical elements
It is very interesting that all the cells of the table carry information not only about a particular structural link, but also about its properties. Looking at the position in the Periodic system, one can also name the degree of oxidation, predict the physical and chemical properties, determine the activity and nature of the compounds.
In total, several properties characteristic of atoms and their simple and complex substances can be distinguished:
- oxidizing;
- recovery;
- acidic;
- basic;
- amphoteric;
- metal;
- non-metallic.
Only by the cell in which the particle is located can it be classified according to all the listed properties. However, not only this is important and interesting. Very unusual is sometimes the name of the element, which speaks about the properties, and about its compounds, and about the discoverer.
Name Education
As mentioned above, many chemical elements named after scientists and countries, cities and planets, etc., are very important for living things, as they are part of their body. This also applies to humans.
For example, carbon and hydrogen. The name itself speaks for itself: "giving birth to coal" and "giving birth to water", respectively. And what organism without these structures? Not one is alive, because carbon is the basis of organic compounds, which means protein, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and other vital substances.
That life is impossible without water, every first grader knows. The properties of chemical elements are also often reflected in the name. For example, oxygen is an "acid-producing". This means that this element will have oxidizing properties.
Or nitrogen - "lifeless" in translation from Latin. Why? This gas does not support life on Earth, in its atmosphere living creatures are threatened with death. And there are many such examples out of 118.
Elements named after scientists
What chemical elements are named after scientists? Those that he wanted to call in their honor or another their discoverer. After all, he belongs to the right to give a name. Pleasant enough prerogative.
The formulas of chemical elements are formed from their Latin names, and the names themselves - from the desire of human scientists. For example, many wanted to perpetuate the names of the great Russian and foreign chemists in the names of atoms. And they succeeded. Consider the main examples illustrating which chemical elements are named after scientists.
- Samaria - Sm. Formed from the mineral Samarsite. And the breed itself is in honor of the great Russian soldier, Colonel of Samara. This man made a great contribution to the development of mining, as he was an inspector of mines and mines.
- Gadolinium - Gd. It got its name thanks to the Finnish chemist Johan Gadolin, who in his time discovered the element of yttrium.
- Einsteinium - Es, has the same designation as other formulas of chemical elements: from the Latin spelling of the name of the great Albert Einstein.
- Fermium - Fm. He received the name in honor of the great scientist, creator of nuclear and neutron physics Enrico Fermi. Nobel Prize nominee for endless research and achievement.
- Mendeleus - Md. This element is immortalized by the name of Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev, already known throughout the world.
- Nobel - No. He received a name from Alfred Nobel, a Swedish chemist, inventor, and discoverer of dynamite. He is the author of the Nobel Prize in merit in science. He bequeathed his wealth to payments to talented scientists.
- Lawrence - Lr. It is a tribute to Ernest Lawrence, one of the creators of the atomic bomb, a brilliant scientist who made a great contribution to the development of physics, especially its nuclear division.
- Kurchatov - Ku. Named in honor of Igor Vasilievich Kurchatov, a brilliant Soviet scientist, creator of our, Russian, atomic bomb.
- Nilsborium - Ns. Thanks to Niels Bohr, one of the founders of quantum mechanics and modern physics.
These are almost all chemical elements named after scientists. The list does not include only one item, which we will consider below.
Women scientists and chemistry
There are chemical elements named after female scientists. But so far this, unfortunately, is only one. Yes, and few female chemists. This is Curium - Km. It is named after Maria Curie-Skłodowska, who, together with her husband Pierre, a physicist, made the discovery of the phenomenon of radiation and did a lot of work on this soil. Spouses were awarded the Nobel Prize for their services.
- The discovery of the element polonium - Po.
- Discovery and study of the piezoelectric effect.
- The discovery of the element of radium - Ra.
Thus, we examined the entire list in which the chemical elements are named after scientists. So far, there are only 10 of the known 118, but time does not stand still. Scientists conduct ongoing research on isotopes, carry out nuclear reactions and synthesize all new compounds and elements. Therefore, it is possible that this list will be replenished with great names.
Names of countries and cities in elements
In addition to what chemical elements are called in honor of scientists, there are a number of options for designating them. For example, many have perpetuated cities and countries.
- Magnesium - Mg. On the coast of the Aegean there is the city of Magnesia. It was he who became the prototype for the name of this element.
- Scandium - Sc. He immortalized Scandinavia, which reflects both the Latin and Russian names.
- Copper - Cu. It is pronounced in Latin as cuprum, hence the explanation for the name: in honor of the island of Cyprus.
- Gallium - Ga. In honor of the country of France, as its name is "gallium" in Latin.
- Germanium - Ge. Obviously, it is named after the country of Germany.
- Strontium - Sr. Not only countries and cities, but also villages are honored to be immortalized in the name of a chemical element. Named after a Stronchian village in Scotland.
- Yttrium - in honor of the village of Ytterby in Sweden.
- Ruthenium - Ru. Russia is a symbol of this element.
- Europium - Eu. In honor of all of Europe.
- Lutetium - Lu. In Latin, “lutetium” is Paris, therefore an element is named after this beautiful city.
- Hafnium - Hf. In honor of Copenhagen, which in Latin sounds like "hafnia."
- Polonium - Po. In honor of Poland.
- Americas - Am. In honor of America.
- California - Cf. In Honor of the American State of California.
- France - Fr. In honor of the country of France.
Thus, 15 elements glorify and keep in their names the memory of the great cities and countries of our Earth.
Names of the planets in the elements
Cosmos has always excited minds and made us guess and think what it is. Many magical properties were attributed to him. Its objects became names for existing chemical elements. Examples of such atoms:
- neptunium;
- plutonium;
- Uranus;
- tellurium;
- selenium;
- helium.
Thus, the names Sun, Moon, Earth and other planets were reflected.
Mythology in the names
Many elements bear the names of mythical heroes, gods, creatures. Examples include:
- titanium (in honor of titans children);
- cobalt and nickel (in honor of evil spirits);
- vanadium (goddess Vanadis);
- niobium (Princess Niobe);
- Prometheus (in honor of Prometheus);
- tantalum (mythical king of tantalum);
- thorium (god Thor).
Mythical stories, legends have always been passed from mouth to mouth. Now many of them will not be forgotten, as their heroes are reflected in the names of chemical elements.
Name color palette
Also, atoms get names by coloring the visible part of the spectrum by spectrometric or chromatographic analysis of the composition of its simple substance. For example, phosphorus received a name for its ability to "carry light", that is, it glows with white light. also some others:
- sulfur — yellow;
- chlorine - "greenish";
- rubidium - "dark red";
- indium - "indigo", a beautiful bright blue color;
- tin - "white";
- antimony - "black", hair dye;
- iodine - "violet";
- cesium - "grayish blue";
- praseodymium - the "green twin";
- thallium - "green branch, escape";
- gold is to "shine."
Obviously, each atom has its own history of the origin of the name, but they are all interesting, beautiful, reflect the essence of the atom itself or its discoverer.