Name: chemical symbols and element names
Uploaded: 2023-06-23T15:38:43.000Z
Duration: 1 min 9 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

Georgia Standards of Excellence

9-12

Physical Science

SPS2.

Chemical Names and Chemical Formulas

Chemical Symbols

Chemical symbols are the one or two-letter abbreviations for an element in the periodic table, such as C for carbon, H for hydrogen, O for oxygen, or Co for cobalt.
The first letter of a chemical symbol is always capitalized. If the symbol has two letters, the second letter is written in lowercase to avoid mistaking it for a diatomic molecule written using the same letters.
Most chemical symbols are based on the first or the first two letters of the element&#39;s English name, while some symbols are derived from their Latin or Greek name.
Fe for iron comes from the Latin name Ferrum, and sodium is denoted as Na for its Latin name Natrium. Likewise, Aurum is the Latin name for gold, so its symbol is Au.
A chemical symbol can include additional information about that element, such as its atomic number, usually written as a left subscript, and its mass number, generally written as a left superscript.

chemical symbols

A chemical symbol is an abbreviation that is used to indicate an element or an atom of an element. For example, the symbol for mercury is Hg. We use the same symbol to indicate one atom of mercury (microscopic domain) or to label a container of many atoms of the element mercury (macroscopic domain).
Some symbols are derived from the common name of the element; others are abbreviations of the name in another language. Most symbols have one or two letters, but three-letter symbols have been used to describe some elements that have atomic numbers greater than 112. To avoid confusion with other notations, only the first letter of a symbol is capitalized. For example, Co is the symbol for the element cobalt, but CO is the notation for the compound carbon monoxide, which contains atoms of the elements carbon (C) and oxygen (O).
Traditionally, the discoverer (or discoverers) of a new element names the element. However, until the name is recognized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the recommended name of the new element is based on the Latin word(s) for its atomic number. For example, element 106 was called unnilhexium (Unh), element 107 was called unnilseptium (Uns), and element 108 was called unniloctium (Uno) for several years. These elements are now named after scientists (or occasionally locations); for example, element 106 is now known as seaborgium (Sg) in honor of Glenn Seaborg, a Nobel Prize winner who was active in the discovery of several heavy elements. Element 109, Meitnerium, was named in honor of Lise Meitner, who discovered nuclear fission, a phenomenon that would have world-changing impacts.
This text is adapted from <a href="https://openstax.org/books/chemistry-2e/pages/2-3-atomic-structure-and-symbolism">Openstax, Chemistry 2e, Section 2.3: Atomic Structure and Symbolism</a>

A chemical symbol is an abbreviation that is used to indicate an element or an atom of an element. For example, the symbol for mercury is Hg. We use the ...

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Anatomy and Physiology

Unit 1

Fundamentals of Chemistry

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

chemical symbols and element names

Chemical symbols are short abbreviations that stand for an element or a single atom of that element. Mercury, for example, has the symbol Hg. The same symbol can point to one atom of mercury in the microscopic domain or to a sample labeled as many atoms of mercury in the macroscopic domain.

Many symbols come from the element’s common name. Others are shortened from a name in another language. Most chemical symbols use one or two letters. For a few elements with atomic numbers above 112, three-letter symbols have also been used.

Capitalization matters in chemical notation. Only the first letter of a symbol is capitalized, which helps avoid confusion with other symbols. Co means cobalt, but CO means carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide contains carbon, written as C, and oxygen, written as O.

New elements are traditionally named by the discoverer or discoverers. Before the name is accepted by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, or IUPAC, the temporary name is based on Latin words for the element’s atomic number. Element 106 was called unnilhexium (Unh), element 107 was unnilseptium (Uns), and element 108 was unniloctium (Uno) for several years.

Many newly named elements now honor scientists or sometimes places. Element 106 is now seaborgium (Sg), named for Glenn Seaborg, a Nobel Prize winner who helped discover several heavy elements. Element 109 is meitnerium, named for Lise Meitner, whose work on nuclear fission had world-changing impacts.

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Chemical symbols are short abbreviations that stand for an element or a single atom of that element. Mercury, for example, has the symbol Hg. The same symbol can point to one atom of mercury in the microscopic domain or to a sample labeled as many atoms of mercury in the macroscopic domain. Many symbols come from the element’s common name. Others are shortened from a name in another language. Most chemical symbols use one or two letters. For a few elements with atomic numbers above 112,...

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Chemical Symbols and Element Names

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