Titanium is part of the transition metals family. The transition metals family contains 38 elements, which is the largest number of elements of any family on the periodic table.
William Gregor discovered titanium in 1791. It was given the name "titanium" in 1795 by Martin Heinrich Klaproth. He named it in honor of the Titans who were the parents of the gods in Greek mythology.
Titanium appears as Ti on the periodic table of elements. In its natural state, it appears as a lustrous white color. It retains the same tensile strength as steel, but it is 45 percent lighter. It burns when exposed to air, and it is the only known metal that is capable of burning in nitrogen.
