Profile
Settings
Refer your friends
Sign out
Symbol of an element is given by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry IUPAC. It is an international organisation that approves names of elements, their symbols and units.
History
Dalton was the first scientist to use symbols for an element .He was followed by Berzelius who thought that symbols should be made from first or second letter of the name of the element .Initially the names were also taken from the place where they were first found .For example if we take Copper, the name is taken from the place Cyrus where it was first found. Other ways that were used to name elements where by virtue of its colour for instance take the case of Gold that derives its name from the colour yellow
Nowadays the IUPAC Organisation gives the names, units and symbols to elements.
Some of the basic characteristic of symbols
- The first Letter of the symbol is always capital while the second letter is small
- For example – in case of Chlorine it is written as -: Cl and not as CL
- Symbols are generally the first or two Letters of the English names of the element. Like Hydrogen – H, Aluminium -Al
- Symbols from first letter – Oxygen: O, Boron: B, Carbon: C
- Symbols from first two letters of the name – Zinc: Zn, Magnesium: Mg
Latin Names of Elements
Some symbols of elements are taken from the Latin name, German name or Greek name of the element.
For example, the Symbol of Sodium that is Na is taken from Natrium, Iron is taken from the word Ferrum – Fe and Potassium is taken from the word Kalium – K
Further Gold is taken from the word Aurum – Au, Silver is taken from the word Argentum – Ag.
So hence we can say that every element has a unique symbol derived from either their English name or their Latin, Greek or German origin.
Symbols of elements from Atomic number 1-20
The below list gives the name, atomic number and the corresponding symbol of the element:
| NAME | ATOMIC NUMBER | Latin name | SYMBOL |
| Hydrogen | 1 | Hydrogenium | H |
| Helium | 2 | Helium | He |
| Lithium | 3 | Lithium | Li |
| Beryllium | 4 | Beryllium | Be |
| Boron | 5 | Borium | B |
| Carbon | 6 | Carbonium | C |
| Nitrogen | 7 | Nitrogenium | N |
| Oxygen | 8 | Oxygenium | O |
| Fluorine | 9 | Fluorum | F |
| Neon | 10 | Neon | Ne |
| Sodium | 11 | Natrium | Na |
| Magnesium | 12 | Magnesium | Mg |
| Aluminium | 13 | Aluminium | Al |
| Silicon | 14 | Silicum | Si |
| Phosphorus | 15 | Phosphorus | P |
| Silicon | 16 | Sulphur | S |
| Chlorine | 17 | Clorum | Cl |
| Argon | 18 | Argon | Ar |
| Potassium | 19 | Kalium | K |
| Calcium | 20 | Calcium | Ca |
| Scandium | 21 | Scandium | Sc |
| Titanium | 22 | Titanium | Ti |
| Vanadium | 23 | Vanadium | V |
| Chromium | 24 | Chromium | Cr |
| Manganese | 25 | Manganum | Mn |
| Iron | 26 | Ferrum | Fe |
| Cobalt | 27 | Cobaltum | Co |
| Nickel | 28 | Niccolum | Ni |
| Copper | 29 | Cuprum | Cu |
| Zinc | 30 | Zincum | Zn |
Some more Important elements and Latin name
| Gold (Au) | Aurum |
| Silver (Ag) | Argentum |
| Lead (Pb) | Plumbum |
| Tin (Sn) | Stannum |
| Mercury (Hg) | Hydrargyrum |
| Tungsten (W) | Wolfram |
| Antimony (Sb) | Stibium |
| Krypton (Kr) | Kryptonium |
Conclusion
The origin of giving symbols started with Dalton and in between scientists like Berzillius also contributed. Symbol is an I’d card for an element it can derived either from the English name if the element or the Latin name in some cases. Symbols are used in a chemical formula in the form such that the first letter if the symbol is capital while the second is small. Symbols of elements are approved by an organisation known as the International Union of Pure and applied Chemistry -IUPAC.Every element thus has a unique symbol.
