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Chemical symbol

Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience

Historical chart showing John Dalton's early symbols and weights of chemical elements.

Chemical symbols are special short names used in chemistry to represent elements, groups, and compounds. They make it easier for scientists to write and talk about chemicals without using long names all the time. For example, instead of writing "sodium chloride," we can simply write "NaCl," where "Na" stands for sodium and "Cl" stands for chlorine.

Element symbols are the most common type of chemical symbol. They usually consist of one or two letters from the Latin alphabet. The first letter is always a capital letter, and if there is a second letter, it is lowercase. This system helps scientists around the world understand each other, no matter what language they speak.

These symbols come from the element's name in Latin or another ancient language. For example, the symbol for gold is "Au" because the Latin word for gold is "aurum." Knowing these symbols is important for anyone studying chemistry or even just curious about the world around us. They help us understand how different substances are made and how they react with each other.

History

Earlier symbols for chemical elements come from classical Latin and Greek words. Some elements were known in ancient times, which is why their symbols stem from these ancient languages. For example, Pb is the symbol for lead, from the Latin word plumbum; Hg is the symbol for mercury, from the Greek word hydrargyrum; and He is the symbol for helium, a Neo-Latin name since helium was not known in ancient Roman times.

Sometimes, three-letter temporary symbols are used for newly created elements. For instance, "Uno" was the temporary symbol for hassium (element 108), whose temporary name was unniloctium, based on the digits of its atomic number. There are also some older symbols that are no longer used today.

Extension of the symbol

Chemical symbols can have extra details added to show more information. These details use superscripts (numbers above the line) and subscripts (numbers below the line). For example, 14N shows a specific type of nitrogen atom. The tiny numbers can tell us about the atom’s weight, its charge, or how many atoms are in a molecule, like N2 for two nitrogen atoms together.

Some groups of atoms also have their own short symbols. For example, Ph stands for a phenyl group, and Me stands for a methyl group. These help scientists write chemical formulas more easily.

Symbols for chemical elements

Chemical symbols are short abbreviations used in chemistry to represent elements. These symbols usually consist of one or two letters from the Latin alphabet. The first letter is always written with a capital letter, while the second letter, if used, is written in lowercase. For example, the symbol for hydrogen is H, and the symbol for helium is He. These symbols help scientists to write and communicate about chemical reactions and formulas in a simple and efficient way.

Main article: Chemical element

List of chemical elements
ZSymbolNameOrigin of name
1HHydrogenGreek hydro- and -gen, meaning 'water-forming'
2HeHeliumGreek hḗlios, 'sun'
3LiLithiumGreek líthos, 'stone'
4BeBerylliumberyl, a mineral (ultimately from the name of Belur in southern India)
5BBoronborax, a mineral (from Arabic bawraq)
6CCarbonLatin carbo, 'coal'
7NNitrogenGreek nítron and -gen, meaning 'niter-forming'
8OOxygenGreek oxy- and -gen, meaning 'acid-forming'
9FFluorineLatin fluere, 'to flow'
10NeNeonGreek néon, 'new'
11NaSodiumEnglish soda (the symbol Na is derived from Neo-Latin natrium, coined from German Natron, 'natron')
12MgMagnesiumMagnesia, a district of Eastern Thessaly in Greece
13AlAluminiumalumina, from Latin alumen (gen. alumni), 'bitter salt, alum'
14SiSiliconLatin silex, 'flint' (originally silicium)
15PPhosphorusGreek phōsphóros, 'light-bearing'
16SSulfurLatin sulphur, 'brimstone'
17ClChlorineGreek chlōrós, 'greenish yellow'
18ArArgonGreek argós, 'idle' (because of its inertness)
19KPotassiumNeo-Latin potassa, 'potash' (the symbol K is derived from Latin kalium)
20CaCalciumLatin calx, 'lime'
21ScScandiumLatin Scandia, 'Scandinavia'
22TiTitaniumTitans, the sons of the Earth goddess of Greek mythology
23VVanadiumVanadis, an Old Norse name for the Scandinavian goddess Freyja
24CrChromiumGreek chróma, 'colour'
25MnManganesecorrupted from magnesia negra; see Magnesium
26FeIronEnglish word, ultimately from Proto-Celtic *īsarnom, a word related to the Celtic word for "blood" (the symbol Fe is derived from Latin ferrum)
27CoCobaltGerman Kobold, 'goblin'
28NiNickelNickel, a mischievous sprite of German miner mythology
29CuCopperEnglish word, from Latin cuprum, from Ancient Greek Kýpros 'Cyprus'
30ZnZincMost likely from German Zinke, 'prong' or 'tooth', though some suggest Persian sang, 'stone'
31GaGalliumLatin Gallia, 'France'
32GeGermaniumLatin Germania, 'Germany'
33AsArsenicFrench arsenic, from Greek arsenikón 'yellow arsenic' (influenced by arsenikós, 'masculine' or 'virile'), from a West Asian wanderword ultimately from Old Iranian *zarniya-ka, 'golden'
34SeSeleniumGreek selḗnē, 'moon'
35BrBromineGreek brômos, 'stench'
36KrKryptonGreek kryptós, 'hidden'
37RbRubidiumLatin rubidus, 'deep red'
38SrStrontiumStrontian, a village in Scotland
39YYttriumYtterby, a village in Sweden
40ZrZirconiumzircon, a mineral
41NbNiobiumNiobe, daughter of king Tantalus from Greek mythology
42MoMolybdenumGreek molýbdaina, 'piece of lead', from mólybdos, 'lead'
43TcTechnetiumGreek tekhnētós, 'artificial'
44RuRutheniumNeo-Latin Ruthenia, 'Russia'
45RhRhodiumGreek rhodóeis, 'rose-coloured', from rhódon, 'rose'
46PdPalladiumthe asteroid Pallas, considered a planet at the time
47AgSilverEnglish word, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *silubrą (The symbol derives from Latin argentum)
48CdCadmiumNeo-Latin cadmia, from King Kadmos
49InIndiumLatin indicum, 'indigo' (colour found in its spectrum)
50SnTinEnglish word, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *tiną, perhaps meaning "shining" (The symbol derives from Latin stannum)
51SbAntimonyLatin antimonium, the origin of which is uncertain: folk etymologies suggest it is derived from Greek antí ('against') + mónos ('alone'), or Old French anti-moine, 'Monk's bane', but it could plausibly be from or related to Arabic ʾiṯmid, 'antimony', reformatted as a Latin word. (The symbol derives from Latin stibium 'stibnite'.)
52TeTelluriumLatin tellus, 'the ground, earth'
53IIodineFrench iode, from Greek ioeidḗs, 'violet'
54XeXenonGreek xénon, neuter form of xénos 'strange'
55CsCaesiumLatin caesius, 'sky-blue'
56BaBariumGreek barýs, 'heavy'
57LaLanthanumGreek lanthánein, 'to lie hidden'
58CeCeriumthe dwarf planet Ceres, considered a planet at the time
59PrPraseodymiumGreek prásios dídymos, 'green twin'
60NdNeodymiumGreek néos dídymos, 'new twin'
61PmPromethiumPrometheus of Greek mythology
62SmSamariumsamarskite, a mineral named after Colonel Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets, Russian mine official
63EuEuropiumEurope
64GdGadoliniumgadolinite, a mineral named after Johan Gadolin, Finnish chemist, physicist and mineralogist
65TbTerbiumYtterby, a village in Sweden
66DyDysprosiumGreek dysprósitos, 'hard to get'
67HoHolmiumNeo-Latin Holmia, 'Stockholm'
68ErErbiumYtterby, a village in Sweden
69TmThuliumThule, the ancient name for an unclear northern location
70YbYtterbiumYtterby, a village in Sweden
71LuLutetiumLatin Lutetia, 'Paris'
72HfHafniumNeo-Latin Hafnia, 'Copenhagen' (from Danish havn)
73TaTantalumKing Tantalus, father of Niobe from Greek mythology
74WTungstenSwedish tung sten, 'heavy stone' (The symbol is from wolfram, the old name of the tungsten mineral wolframite)
75ReRheniumLatin Rhenus, 'the Rhine'
76OsOsmiumGreek osmḗ, 'smell'
77IrIridiumIris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow
78PtPlatinumSpanish platina, 'little silver', from plata 'silver'
79AuGoldEnglish word, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰl̥h₃tóm, related to "yellow" (The symbol derives from Latin aurum)
80HgMercuryMercury, Roman god of commerce, communication, and luck, known for his speed and mobility (The symbol is from the element's Latin name hydrargyrum, derived from Greek hydrárgyros, 'water-silver')
81TlThalliumGreek thallós, 'green shoot or twig'
82PbLeadEnglish word, from Proto-Celtic *ɸloudom, from Proto-Indo-European *plewd-, “flow” (The symbol derives from Latin plumbum)
83BiBismuthGerman Wismut, from weiß Masse 'white mass', unless from Arabic
84PoPoloniumLatin Polonia, 'Poland' (the home country of Marie Curie)
85AtAstatineGreek ástatos, 'unstable'
86RnRadonRadium
87FrFranciumFrance
88RaRadiumFrench radium, from Latin radius, 'ray'
89AcActiniumGreek aktís, 'ray'
90ThThoriumThor, the Scandinavian god of thunder
91PaProtactiniumproto- (from Greek prôtos, 'first, before') + actinium, which is produced through the radioactive decay of protactinium
92UUraniumUranus, the seventh planet in the Solar System
93NpNeptuniumNeptune, the eighth planet in the Solar System
94PuPlutoniumthe dwarf planet Pluto, considered the ninth planet in the Solar System at the time
95AmAmericiumThe Americas, as the element was first synthesised on the continent, by analogy with europium
96CmCuriumPierre Curie and Marie Curie, French physicists and chemists
97BkBerkeliumBerkeley, California, where the element was first synthesised, by analogy with terbium
98CfCaliforniumCalifornia, where the element was first synthesised
99EsEinsteiniumAlbert Einstein, German physicist
100FmFermiumEnrico Fermi, Italian physicist
101MdMendeleviumDmitri Mendeleev, Russian chemist and inventor who proposed the periodic table
102NoNobeliumAlfred Nobel, Swedish chemist and engineer
103LrLawrenciumErnest O. Lawrence, American physicist
104RfRutherfordiumErnest Rutherford, New Zealand chemist and physicist
105DbDubniumDubna, Russia, where the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research is located
106SgSeaborgiumGlenn T. Seaborg, American chemist
107BhBohriumNiels Bohr, Danish physicist
108HsHassiumNeo-Latin Hassia, 'Hesse' (a state in Germany)
109MtMeitneriumLise Meitner, Austrian physicist
110DsDarmstadtiumDarmstadt, Germany, where the element was first synthesised
111RgRoentgeniumWilhelm Conrad Röntgen, German physicist
112CnCoperniciumNicolaus Copernicus, Polish astronomer
113NhNihoniumJapanese Nihon, 'Japan' (where the element was first synthesised)
114FlFleroviumFlerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, part of JINR, where the element was synthesised; itself named after Georgy Flyorov, Russian physicist
115McMoscoviumMoscow Oblast, Russia, where the element was first synthesised
116LvLivermoriumLawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, which collaborated with JINR on its synthesis
117TsTennessineTennessee, United States
118OgOganessonYuri Oganessian, Russian physicist

Symbols and names not currently used

The following list includes symbols and names that were once used or suggested for elements but are no longer in use. These include temporary names and symbols given to elements before they were officially named.

Systematic chemical symbols

These symbols are based on systematic names given to elements before they received their official names. For example, element 101 was once called "Unu" but is now known as mendelevium. Here are some examples:

Dalton's symbols for the more common elements, as of 1806, and the relative weights he calculated. The symbols for magnesium and calcium ("lime") were replaced by 1808, and that for gold was simplified.

Alchemical symbols

Main article: Alchemical symbols

Alchemists used special symbols to represent elements known in ancient times. These symbols were often linked to planets and metals. For example, lead was associated with the planet Saturn, and iron with Mars. These planetary names were used until new elements like antimony, bismuth, and zinc were discovered in the 16th century.

Daltonian symbols

The following symbols were used by John Dalton in the early 1800s when the periodic table was being developed. Modern alphabetic symbols were introduced later by Jöns Jakob Berzelius. Some of Dalton’s ideas still influence how we model molecules today, such as using different colored balls to represent elements in ball-and-stick models.

SymbolNameAtomic
number
AArgon18
AbAlabamine85
AdAldebaranium70
AhAnglohelvetium85
AkAlkalinium87
AmAlabamine85
AnAthenium99
AoAusonium93
AtAustriacum84
AzAzote7
BoBohemium93
BoBoron5
BvBrevium91
BzBerzelium90
CbColumbium41
ChChromium24
ClColumbium41
CmCatium87
CnCarolinium90
CpCassiopeium71
CpCopernicium112
CtCeltium72
CtCenturium100
CyCyclonium61
DDidymium59/60
DaDavyum43
DbDubhium69
DbDubnium104
DcDecipium62
DcDvicaesium87
DeDenebium69
DiDidymium59/60
DoDor85
DnDubnadium118
DpDecipium62
DsDysprosium66
DtDvitellurium84
EEinsteinium99
EErbium68
EaEkaaluminium31
EbEkaboron21
EbErebodium42
ElEkaaluminium31
EmEkamanganese43
EmEmanation86
EmEmanium89
EsEkasilicon32
HsHesperium94
EtEkatantalum91
ExEuxenium72
FaFrancium87
FlFlorentium61
FlFluorine9
FrFlorentium61
GGlucinium4
GhGhiorsium118
GlGlucinium4
HaHahnium105
HnHahnium108
HvHelvetium85
HyMercury80
IIridium77
IcIncognitium65
IlIllinium61
IlIlmenium41/73
IoIonium65
JJodium53
JgJargonium72
JlJoliotium105
JpJaponium113
KaPotassium19
KuKurchatovium104
LLithium3
LwLawrencium103
MMuriaticum17
MaManganese25
MaMasurium43
MdMendelevium97
MlMoldavium87
MsMagnesium12
MsMasrium88
MsMasurium43
MsMosandrium65
MvMendelevium101
NgNorwegium72
NoNorium72
NpNeptunium91
NpNipponium43
NsNielsbohrium105
NsNielsbohrium107
NtNiton86
NyNeoytterbium70
PLead82
PaPalladium46
PePelopium41
PhPhosphorus15
PlPalladium46
PmPolymnestum33
PoPotassium19
PpPhilippium67
RRhodium45
RdRadium88
RfRutherfordium106
RoRhodium45
SaSamarium62
SoSodium11
SqSequanium93
StAntimony51
StTin50
TmTrimanganese75
TnTungsten74
TrTerbium65
TuThulium69
TuTungsten74
UrUralium75
UrUranium92
VcVictorium64
ViVictorium64
ViVirginium87
VmVirginium87
VaVanadium23
WoWolfram74
XXenon54
YtYttrium39
Alchemical symbols for the modern elements
SymbolElementAtomic
number
Phosphorus15
🜍Sulfur16
Manganese25
Iron26
🜶Cobalt27
Nickel28
Zinc30
Copper29
🜺Arsenic33
Silver47
🜛
Tin50
Antimony51
Platinum78
🜚Gold79
Mercury80
Lead82
Bismuth83
♉︎
Daltonian symbols for the elements
SymbolDalton's nameModern nameAtomic
number
img.char.
hydrogen1
glucineberyllium4
carbone, carboncarbon6
azotenitrogen/azote7
oxygen8
sodasodium11
magnesiamagnesium12
aluminealuminium13
🟕silexsilicon14
phosphorus15
🜨sulphur16
potashpotassium19
limecalcium20
titanium22
manganese25
iron26
nickel28
cobalt27
copper29
zinc30
arsenic33
strontianstrontium38
⊕︀︀yttriayttrium39
zirconezirconium40
silver47
tin50
antimony51
barytesbarium56
cerium58
tungsten74
platinaplatinum78
gold79
mercury80
lead82
bismuth83
uranium92

Symbols for named isotopes

Some special symbols are used for certain isotopes, or versions, of elements. For example, deuterium, a type of hydrogen, is given the symbol D, and tritium, another type of hydrogen, is given the symbol T. These symbols make it easier to write formulas in chemistry. For instance, instead of writing 2H2O for a special kind of water, scientists can simply use D2O.

In the past, scientists used special symbols for many different isotopes, especially those that break down over time. However, today, only a few of these older symbols are still used. Most scientists now use a different system to name isotopes, which includes writing the mass number above the element symbol.

SymbolNameAtomic
number
Origin of symbol
AcActinium89From Greek aktinos. Name restricted at one time to 227Ac, an isotope of actinium. This named isotope later became the official name for element 89.
AcAActinium A84From actinium and A. Placeholder name given at one time to 215Po, an isotope of polonium identified in the decay chain of actinium.
AcBActinium B82From actinium and B. Placeholder name given at one time to 211Pb, an isotope of lead identified in the decay chain of actinium.
AcCActinium C83From actinium and C. Placeholder name given at one time to 211Bi, an isotope of bismuth identified in the decay chain of actinium.
AcC′Actinium C′84From actinium and C. Placeholder name given at one time to 211Po, an isotope of polonium identified in the decay chain of actinium.
AcC″Actinium C″81From actinium and C. Placeholder name given at one time to 207Tl, an isotope of thallium identified in the decay chain of actinium.
AcKActinium K87Name given at one time to 223Fr, an isotope of francium identified in the decay chain of actinium.
AcUActino-uranium92Name given at one time to 235U, an isotope of uranium.
AcXActinium X88Name given at one time to 223Ra, an isotope of radium identified in the decay chain of actinium.
AnActinon86From actinium and emanation. Name given at one time to 219Rn, an isotope of radon identified in the decay chain of actinium.
DDeuterium1From the Greek deuteros. Name given to 2H.
IoIonium90Name given to 230Th, an isotope of thorium identified in the decay chain of uranium.
MsTh1Mesothorium 188Name given at one time to 228Ra, an isotope of radium.
MsTh2Mesothorium 289Name given at one time to 228Ac, an isotope of actinium.
PaProtactinium91From the Greek protos and actinium. Name restricted at one time to 231Pa, an isotope of protactinium. This named isotope later became the official name for element 91.
RaRadium88From the Latin radius. Name restricted at one time to 226Ra, an isotope of radium. This named isotope later became the official name for element 88.
RaARadium A84From radium and A. Placeholder name given at one time to 218Po, an isotope of polonium identified in the decay chain of radium.
RaBRadium B82From radium and B. Placeholder name given at one time to 214Pb, an isotope of lead identified in the decay chain of radium.
RaCRadium C83From radium and C. Placeholder name given at one time to 214Bi, an isotope of bismuth identified in the decay chain of radium.
RaC′Radium C′84From radium and C. Placeholder name given at one time to 214Po, an isotope of polonium identified in the decay chain of radium.
RaC″Radium C″81From radium and C. Placeholder name given at one time to 210Tl, an isotope of thallium identified in the decay chain of radium.
RaDRadium D82From radium and D. Placeholder name given at one time to 210Pb, an isotope of lead identified in the decay chain of radium.
RaERadium E83From radium and E. Placeholder name given at one time to 210Bi, an isotope of bismuth identified in the decay chain of radium.
RaE″Radium E″81From radium and E. Placeholder name given at one time to 206Tl, an isotope of thallium identified in the decay chain of radium.
RaFRadium F84From radium and F. Placeholder name given at one time to 210Po, an isotope of polonium identified in the decay chain of radium.
RdAcRadioactinium90Name given at one time to 227Th, an isotope of thorium.
RdThRadiothorium90Name given at one time to 228Th, an isotope of thorium.
RnRadon86From radium and emanation. Name restricted at one time to 222Rn, an isotope of radon identified in the decay chain of radium. This named isotope later became the official name for element 86 in 1923.
TTritium1From the Greek tritos. Name given to 3H.
ThThorium90After Thor. Name restricted at one time to 232Th, an isotope of thorium. This named isotope later became the official name for element 90.
ThAThorium A84From thorium and A. Placeholder name given at one time to 216Po, an isotope of polonium identified in the decay chain of thorium.
ThBThorium B82From thorium and B. Placeholder name given at one time to 212Pb, an isotope of lead identified in the decay chain of thorium.
ThCThorium C83From thorium and C. Placeholder name given at one time to 212Bi, an isotope of bismuth identified in the decay chain of thorium.
ThC′Thorium C′84From thorium and C. Placeholder name given at one time to 212Po, an isotope of polonium identified in the decay chain of thorium.
ThC″Thorium C″81From thorium and C. Placeholder name given at one time to 208Tl, an isotope of thallium identified in the decay chain of thorium.
ThXThorium X88Name given at one time to 224Ra, an isotope of radium identified in the decay chain of thorium.
TnThoron86From thorium and emanation. Name given to 220Rn, an isotope of radon identified in the decay chain of thorium.
UIUranium I92Name given at one time to 238U, an isotope of uranium.
UIIUranium II92Name given at one time to 234U, an isotope of uranium.
UX1Uranium X190Name given at one time to 234Th, an isotope of thorium identified in the decay chain of uranium.
UX2Uranium X291Name given at one time to 234mPa, an isotope of protactinium identified in the decay chain of uranium.
UYUranium Y90Name given at one time to 231Th, an isotope of thorium identified in the decay chain of uranium.
UZUranium Z91Name given at one time to 234Pa, an isotope of protactinium identified in the decay chain of uranium.

Other symbols

See also: Skeletal formula § Pseudoelement symbols

In chemistry, there are special symbols used beyond the usual element abbreviations. In Chinese, each element has its own character, but Latin symbols are also used, especially in formulas.

Here are some common symbols:

In organic chemistry, symbols represent parts of molecules:

In organometallic chemistry, some symbols include:

Exotic atoms have symbols too:

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