What element has the symbol 'Mn'?

The story behind the answer

Mn is the symbol for manganese, a hard, brittle transition metal (atomic number 25) widely used to strengthen steel and in batteries. The other options have different symbols: Mercury is Hg, Molybdenum is Mo, and Magnesium is Mg—common traps because their names sound similar.

Manganese was isolated in 1774 from the mineral pyrolusite (MnO2) and is famous for the deep purple color of permanganate ions (MnO4–). Memory tip: “MaNgaNese” contains the letters M and N—match them to Mn—while “MaGnesium” pairs with Mg. Knowing these symbol-name patterns helps you navigate the transition metals and avoid look-alike confusions on the periodic table.