Chemical Element: bismuth
(German: Wismut [wise, “meadow”] plus [mut, “claim to a mine”]; changed to bismat; metal)
Chemical-Element Information
Symbol: BiAtomic number: 83
Year discovered: no data
Discovered by: Known since ancient times, but no one is identified.
- In early times bismuth was confused with tin and lead.
- Georgius Agricola, the mining and metallurgy historian, in the 16th century regarded bismuth as a true metal and distinct from metals such as tin, lead, and antimony.
- German, Bismut (now also spelled Wismut) was Latinized by Georgius Agricola in 1530 as bisemutum.
- Claude J. Geoffroy, the Younger, showed it to be distinct from lead in 1753.
- Because of their low melting points, bismuth eutectic alloys are used in automatic sprinkler systems, fuse and safety plugs, and in automatic fire-alarm systems.
Name in other languages:
French: bismuth
German: Bismut or Wismut
Italian: bismuto
Spanish: bismuto
Information about other elements may be seen at this Chemical Elements List.
A special unit about words that include chemo-, chem- may be seen here.