It's Not Always Obvious

E S S E X B U M P K I N
A C C E N T U A T I O N
P A R A D I S I A C A L
A L B I N O A N I M A L
D I C E Y D E L O U S E
A T L A N T I S F I R E
T E A C O S Y U P R A T
S T E A M O I L M A K E
G R A N I T E F U M E S
C O N S T A B U L A R Y
P I N K N E U R O S I S
A C E T A L D E H Y D E

Answer: antimony (Sb), samarium (Sm), scandium (Sc), selenium (Se), silicon (Si), sulfur (S), and tin (Sn). Their chemical formulae all begin with S including two whose names do not begin with S. Why is antimony given the symbol Sb and tin Sn? Note also chemists spell sulfur with an F, as in American English, rather than sulphur as in British English.

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