Antimony is element number 51, with the symbol Sb. The symbol comes from the Latin for stibnite, a mineral that contains antimony.
Atomic number 51121.8
SbAntimonyアンチモン (anchimon)
Symbol
Sb
Atomic weight
121.8
Place in the table
Period 5 · Group 15
Atomic weight from the Chemical Society of Japan, “Table of Standard Atomic Weights with Four Significant Figures (2026)”.
A name and a symbol that don’t match
The symbol Sb comes from the Latin stibium. Stibnite is a mineral of antimony combined with sulfur. The English name “antimony” looks nothing like the symbol.
Antimony has been known since the Middle Ages.
Where it sits on the table
Antimony is in the fifth row of Group 15, with arsenic above and bismuth below. Arsenic and bismuth have also been known since the Middle Ages.
Think about it
Q1Look for other elements whose name and symbol don’t match.
Q2Why might arsenic, antimony and bismuth have been known since the Middle Ages?
Q3Are there other elements whose symbol comes from a mineral name?
There is no single right answer. Talking it over with someone at home is a good way to learn.
Did you know? — Arsenic, antimony and bismuth in Group 15 are all dated to “the Middle Ages.” A whole column that has been known for a long time.