Universe Today says Welcome "Copernicium," Our Newest Element "The newest element on the periodic table will likely be named in honor of scientist and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. Element 112 will be named Copernicum, with the element symbol 'Cp.'"
5 comments:
This will be the bane of first-year chemistry students everywhere.
The symbol for copper is "Cu", but, Copper has no "u" in it. They now want to call new element 112 "Copernicium" and make its symbol "Cp".
What....high school kids don't hate chemistry enough already.
Don't get me started on Au and Ag
Besides, why are we naming elements after astronomers?
I have nothing against Copernicus, but, aren't there enough stars, galaxies, quasars, pulsars, black holes, nebulae, extra-solar planets, etc... for those folks?
Save the elements for the Chemists, please.
My personal favorite is lead, Pb, or Plumbum in latin.
The original latin made it all the way into English via the masons who refer to an up and down straight line as a "Plumb line". Also it's the source of why we call Plumbers, Plumbers.....they work with lead (not so much anymore).
Regards,
Auric Goldfinger
If those differences between an element's symbol and its english name bug you, how about these:
W for Tungsten. Sn for tin and Sb for antimony. Try remembering that SnCl2 is stannous chloride or that SnCl4 is stannic chloride, not tinnous or tinnic.
Some of these mismatches you encounter everyday on nutrition labels like K for potassium and Na for Sodium. The key to remembering these is to learn Latin and think like an alchemist.
The addition of these new elements reminds me of the the kid who says he wishes he was born 100 years ago so there would have had to learn less history ... and fewer elements as well.
Do you have a periodic table of the elements mousepad? I do. Chemical engineering occupational hazard.
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