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Element Symbols -
Recognising the Element Symbols
What are the element symbols used in the Periodic Table? How did
the Element symbols originate and what are the background and the meaning of
their names?
In 1828 Jakob Berzelius developed a table of atomic weights &
introduced letters to symbolize elements, called Element
Symbols.
Element Symbols -
Unique 1,2, and 3 letter symbols
Every element in the Periodic Table has been given a unique 1, 2 or 3 letter
symbol collectively called the Element Symbols. The first letter of an Element
symbol is always a capital letter.
Many of the element symbols are quickly remembered and
recognised. These are the Element symbols that reflect the English name of the
element such as
O for Oxygen, H for hydrogen, C for carbon, N for nitrogen. Any subsequent
letters, which make up the Element symbols, are expressed in lower case, for
example the chemical symbol for Argon is ‘Ar’ and the symbol for Neon is 'Ne'
which are even easier to remember. All of the names of the elements, together
with their Element Symbols are detailed in alphabetical order in the table on
the bottom of this page
Element Symbols
Element Symbols -
The tricky symbols!
Some Element symbols come
from their Greek, Latin or German names. Great if you know
Latin, Greek or German but tricky if you do not! The name
origins of many of the Element Symbols make them easier to learn
and understand. The elements with Greek of Latin names are the
oldest elements known and the element symbols were allocated
when these classic languages were those used by ancient
scholars. There are only 10 elements whose element symbols are
not immediately apparent. Learn these and the Periodic table
becomes easier! The meanings and origins of the more obscure
Element symbols are as follows:
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Element Symbols |
Sb
Cu
Au
Fe
Pb
Hg
K
Ag
Sn
W
|
Antimony
Copper
Gold
Iron
Lead
Mercury
Potassium
Silver
Tin
Tungsten
|
Sb -
From the Greek words 'anti' and 'monos' meaning "opposed to
solitude".
Cu - From the Latin word 'cyprium',
after the island of Cyprus.
Au - From the Latin word 'aurum'
meaning gold.
Fe - From the Latin word 'ferrum'
meaning iron.
Pb - From the Latin word 'plumbum'
meaning lead.
Hg -
From the Greek word
'hydrargyros' meaning 'water'
and 'silver'.
K - From the
Medieval Latin word 'kalium' meaning potash (pot
ashes).
Ag - From the Latin
word 'argentum' meaning silver.
Sn - From the Latin word 'stannum' meaning tin
W - From the German
word 'Wolfram'. Ancient alchemists called the metal "spuma
lupi," the Latin words for 'wolf foam' which was
translated to the word "wolframite" in allusion to the
objectionable scum or substance formed during the
smelting of tin ores containing tungsten. |
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Element Symbols |
Element
Symbols
The following list provides the names of each of the elements in
the Periodic Table together with their Element Symbols. Click on
the link to an element to discover additional facts and
information about the element and its symbols.
Alphabetical List of
Element Symbols
Alphabetical List of Element Symbols
Element
Symbols
The above list provides details of each of the elements in the
Periodic Table together with their Element Symbols. Click on the
link to an element to discover additional facts and information
about the element. |
