Titanium is element number 22, a metal with the symbol Ti. Its name comes from the Titans, a race of giants in Greek myth.
Atomic number 2247.87
TiTitaniumチタン (chitan)
Symbol
Ti
Atomic weight
47.87
Place in the table
Period 4 · Group 4
Atomic weight from the Chemical Society of Japan, “Table of Standard Atomic Weights with Four Significant Figures (2026)”.
The giants of myth
The symbol Ti comes from the Latin titanium, after the Titans of Greek myth, who were shut away deep underground. Titanium was discovered in 1791.
Other elements are named after myths and legends too, such as vanadium (a Norse god of beauty) and cobalt (a goblin).
Where it sits on the table
Titanium is in the fourth row of Group 4, to the right of scandium and to the left of vanadium.
The ten elements in the fourth row from scandium to zinc include familiar metals such as iron, copper and zinc.
Think about it
Q1Why might someone name an element hidden inside ore after giants shut away underground?
Q2If you named an element after a myth, which god or character would you choose?
Q3How many of the metals in the fourth row of the periodic table do you know?
There is no single right answer. Talking it over with someone at home is a good way to learn.
Did you know? — Element names hold stories from all over the world: heavenly bodies (helium, the Sun), countries (gallium, France), myths (titanium) and more.