Chemical element "Sb" (stibium) for antimony. Chemical symbols are understood internationally when element names might require translation. There have sometimes been differences in the past. For example, Germans in the past have used "J" (for the alternate name Jod) for iodine, but now use "I" and "Iod". The first letter of a chemical symbol is always capitalized, as in the preceding examples, and the subsequent letters, if any, are always lower case (small letters). Thus, the symbols for californium and einsteinium are Cf and Es. There are also symbols in chemical equations for groups of chemical elements, for example in comparative formulas.
Californium(III) polyborate Californium(III) polyborate Californium polyborate is a covalent compound with formula Cf[BO(OH)]. In this compound the californium is in a +3 oxidation state. Californium polyborate is unusual in that californium is covalently bound to the borate. Californium was expected to resemble lanthanide elements in being highly ionic. The polyborate anion is polarisable and flexible. The 5f, 6d, 7s, and 7p orbitals of californium are all involved on the bonding. Most valence electrons are in the 5f orbital, and a significant fraction () in the 6d orbital, and smaller fractions of one electron are in the 7s and 7p orbitals. Californium(III) polyborate