Lead is element number 82, a metal with the symbol Pb. The symbol comes from plumbum, the Latin word for lead.
Atomic number 82207.2
PbLead鉛 (namari)
Symbol
Pb
Atomic weight
207.2
Place in the table
Period 6 · Group 14
Atomic weight from the Chemical Society of Japan, “Table of Standard Atomic Weights with Four Significant Figures (2026)”.
A metal known since ancient times
Like gold, silver, copper, iron, tin and mercury, lead has been known since ancient times. The English word “lead” looks nothing like the symbol.
Molybdenum’s (Mo) name comes from the Greek word for lead.
Where it sits on the table
Lead is in the sixth row of Group 14. From the top: carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, lead.
The Latin stannum first meant an alloy of silver and lead, and later became the name for tin.
Think about it
Q1Isn’t it surprising that carbon and lead share a column?
Q2Find the seven metals known since ancient times in the Room of the Elements.
Q3How many elements named for resembling another metal can you find?
There is no single right answer. Talking it over with someone at home is a good way to learn.
Did you know? — In Group 14, silicon is a semiconductor, while tin and lead are metals known since ancient times. The same column, very different members.