Symbols and Formulae

SS1: CHEMISTRY – 1ST TERM Symbols, Formulae & Oxidation Number | Week 7 Symbols and Formulae

Lesson 7, Topic 1

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Symbols and Formulae

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Symbols of Elements

Symbols of Elements:

A symbol represents an atom. The modern symbols were developed by Berzelius in 1814. He used either the first letter or the first and any other letter in the name of the element as a symbol.

Some names of elements and their symbols are listed in the tables below:

1. Elements with the First Letter of their Names as a Symbol:

Element	Symbol	Atomic Number
Hydrogen	H	1
Carbon	C	6
Boron	B	5
Fluorine	F	9
Sulphur	S	16
Iodine	I	53
Phosphorus	P	15
Nitrogen	N	7

2. Elements with the First Two Letters as a Symbol:

Element	Symbol	Atomic Number
Helium	He	2
Beryllium	Be	4
Lithium	Li	3
Neon	Ne	10
Aluminium	Al	13
Silicon	Si	14
Argon	Ar	18
Calcium	Ca	20
Bromine	Br	35
Barium	Ba	56

3. Elements with the First Letter and Any Other Letter from the Name as a Symbol:

Element	Symbol	Atomic Number
Magnesium	Mg	12
Chlorine	Cl	17
Chromium	Cr	24
Manganese	Mn	25
Zinc	Zn	30

4. Elements that Derive a Symbol from their Latin Names:

Element	Latin Name	Symbol	Atomic Number
Sodium	Natrium	Na	11
Potassium	Kalium	K	19
Iron	Ferrum	Fe	26
Copper	Cuprum	Cu	29
Silver	Argentums	Ag	47
Tin	Stannium	Sn	50
Gold	Aurum	Au	79
Mercury	Hydrangyum	Hg	80
Lead	Plumbum	Pb	82

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