The element lead was known in Roman times. It is soft and wa…
The element lead was known in Roman times. It is soft and was formed into pipes to carry water to the homes of the Roman upper class. We get the word plumbing from the Latin word for this metal—plumbum. Some have put forth the idea that lead poisoning from the pipes may have affected the ruling class and contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire (this is why you should never eat a Pb and J sandwich). What is the symbol of this element?