Which chemical element has the symbol 'Fe'? A) Fluorine B) Iron C) Francium D) Fermium
VerifiedAnswer: B) Iron
Explanation:
The chemical element with the symbol 'Fe' is Iron. This symbol comes from iron's Latin name 'Ferrum', which is why it doesn't start with 'I' like you might expect. This is actually quite common in chemistry - many elements have symbols derived from their Latin or Greek names rather than their modern English names.
Let's look at why the other options are incorrect. Fluorine has the symbol 'F', not 'Fe'. This makes sense because fluorine's name directly corresponds to its symbol. Francium, a highly radioactive alkali metal, has the symbol 'Fr'. Fermium, which is a synthetic element, has the symbol 'Fm'. Notice how these symbols follow a more straightforward pattern compared to iron.
Iron is one of the most important metals in our daily lives. It's the main component of steel, which is used in construction, automobiles, and countless other applications. In the periodic table, iron is located in the transition metals section with atomic number 26. It's also essential for human health as it helps carry oxygen in our blood through hemoglobin.
Remember this connection: Fe = Iron = Ferrum (Latin). This is a classic example of how chemical symbols sometimes reflect the historical names of elements rather than their modern English names. Other similar examples include gold (Au from Aurum), silver (Ag from Argentum), and sodium (Na from Natrium).
