• Question: What is the chemical symbol for gold?

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      Asked by zaimaimam to Alan, Becky, Jo, Sankar, Sarah on 11 Mar 2015.
      • Photo: Alan McCue

        Alan McCue answered on 11 Mar 2015:

        I’ve got this one it is ‘Au’! Love a bit of gold

      • Photo: Sarah Kirk

        Sarah Kirk answered on 13 Mar 2015:

        It seems strange that it isn’t ‘Go’, but this is because it is taken from the Latin for gold, Aurum.

        This is the same for a few of the elements on the periodic table – if the letters seem completely different from the word, it’s because it is from another language.
        e.g.
        W = Wolfram = Tungsten
        Ag = Argentum = Silver
        Fe = Ferrum = Iron
        and loads more!

      • Photo: Sankar Meenakshisundaram

        Sankar Meenakshisundaram answered on 20 Mar 2015:

        Au because of Aurum (its greek name)

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