Molybdenum
Properties
| Atomic Number | 42 |
| CAS Registry Number | 7439-98-7 |
| Chemical Symbol | Mo |
History
The atomic number is 42 and the chemical symbol is Mo. The original name that was proposed was molydaenum but this was changed because of the prevailing usage of e rather than ae in English American and French. Since the ending of the name was spelt num and not nium in most languages this ending was not changed. The name derives from the Greek molybdos for lead. The ancients used the term lead for any black mineral which leaves a mark on paper. It was discovered by the Swedish pharmacist and chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1778. It was first isolated by the Swedish chemist Peter-Jacob Hjelm in 1781.Holden, Norman E., (2004). History of the origin of the chemical elements and their discoverers. National Nuclear Data Center. Retrieved from http://www.nndc.bnl.gov/content/elements.html