Lead is the heaviest member of the carbon family. The carbon family consists of the five elements in Group 14 (IVA) of the periodic table. The periodic table is a chart that shows how chemical elements are related to each other.
Why is lead called PB on the periodic table?
The Romans called lead 'plumbum nigrum' meaning black lead to differentiate it from 'plumbum album' meaning white lead. Tin sits directly above lead in the periodic table. Lead's chemical symbol is Pb, which comes from its Latin name. Our name for the element comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for the metal, 'lead'.
What is the mineral for lead?
Lead (element #82, symbol Pb) is a very soft, blue-gray, metallic element. It is primarily produced from the mineral galena. It has been used since antiquity. Water pipes in ancient Rome, some of which still carry water, were made of lead.