Role of alchemists
Alchemists are the forerunners to the modern day chemists. Their quest was to convert base metals into gold using 'philosophers stone' an illusionary substance. Though unsuccessful on this front, they succeeded in separating and identifying arsenic, antimony and bismuth.
Insight into the nature of the names of some elements
- Hydrogen was named by Lavoisier using the Greek words 'Hydro' ie., water and 'Genes' meaning forming.
- Chlorine has its origin from Greek word - 'Chloros' - meaning greenish yellow, 'Bromos' means stench in Greek and 'Iodes' in Greek means violet.
- The word nickel has originated from a German word meaning 'Saton' or 'Old nick'. Cobalt comes from a German word - 'Globlin' or 'Evil Spirit'.
- Argon from Greek meaning 'Inactive'.
- Gold is an Anglo-Saxon word - 'Aurum'.
Elements named after places
Scandium (Sc) - found in Scandinavia
Thulium (Tm) - named after Thule the earlier name of Scandinavia.Europium (Eu) - after the continent Europe.
Polonium (Po) - named after Curies after their home town.Named after planets
Selenium (Se) - 'Seles' Greek name for the moon
Plutonium (Pu) - Neptunium (Np) Uranium (U)Mercury was named after a planet but derives its symbol Hg from the Latin word 'Hydragyrum' meaning liquid silver.
Named after scientists
Curium (Cm) after Pierre and Marie Curie
Fermium (Fm) after Enrico FermiEinsteinium (Es) after Albert Einstein
Mendelevium (Md) after Dimitri MendeleevSymbol
A shorthand representation of an element is called a symbol. The symbol of any element is the first letter or the first letter and another letter of its English name or Latin name in English alphabets.
- The first letter is written in capital and the second letter in small.
- The second letter can be any letter in the name of the element, which is internationally accepted.
Symbols of common metals
| Sl.No | Name in English | Name in any other language than english | Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Lithium | - | Li |
| 2. | Sodium | Natrium(Latin) | Na |
| 3. | Magnesium | - | Mg |
| 4. | Aluminium | - | Al |
| 5. | Potassium | Kalium(Latin) | K |
| 6. | Calcium | - | Ca |
| 7. | Vanadium | - | V |
| 8. | Chromium | - | Cr |
| 9. | Manganese | - | Mn |
| 10. | Iron | Ferrum(Latin) | Fe |
| 11. | Cobalt | - | Co |
| 12. | Nickel | - | Ni |
| 13. | Copper | Cuprum(Latin) | Cu |
| 14. | Zinc | - | Zn |
| 15. | Gallium | - | Ga |
| 16. | Strontium | - | Sr |
| 17. | Molybdenum | - | Mo |
| 18. | Silver | Argentum(Latin) | Ag |
| 19. | Cadmium | - | Cd |
| 20. | Tin | Stannum(Latin) | Sn |
| 21. | Antimony | Stibium(Latin) | Sb |
| 22. | Barium | - | Ba |
| 23. | Tungsten | Wolfram(German) | W |
| 24. | Platinum | - | Pt |
| 25. | Mercury | Hydrargyrum(Latin) | Hg |
| 26. | Lead | Plumbum(Latin) | Pb |
| 27. | Bismuth | - | Bi |
| 28. | Polonium | - | Po |
| 29. | Radium | - | Ra |
| 30. | Uranium | - | U |
Symbols of chemically active non-metals
| Sl.No | Non-metal | Physical state | Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Hydrogen | Gas | H |
| 2. | Nitrogen | Gas | N |
| 3. | Oxygen | Gas | O |
| 4. | Flourine | Gas | F |
| 5. | Chlorine | Gas | Cl |
| 6. | Bromine | Liquid | Br |
| 7. | Astatine | Solid | At |
| 8. | Carbon | Solid | C |
| 9. | Iodine | Solid | I |
| 10. | Sulphur | Solid | S |
| 11. | Phosphorus | Solid | P |
| 12. | Silicon | Solid | Si |
Symbols of chemical inactive non-metals of noble gases
| Sl.No | Noble gas | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Helium | He |
| 2 | Neon | Ne |
| 3. | Argon | Ar |
| 4. | Krypton | Kr |
| 5. | Xenon | Xe |
| 6. | Radon | Rn |

