Is ferrum a iron? Exploring the Latin Roots of an Everyday Element
                                
                                
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                                    3 min read                                
                            
                                By mass, iron is the most common element on Earth, but its chemical symbol, Fe, is derived not from its English name but from its ancient Latin counterpart. This reveals a common confusion: is ferrum a iron? Yes, they are the same element, with "ferrum" being the Latin word for iron, providing a glimpse into the history of chemical nomenclature.