Periodic Symbols

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Periodic Table Symbols
Each element in the Periodic Table has been given a 1, 2 or 3 letter symbol collectively called Periodic Symbols. The first letter of the Periodic symbols is always a capital letter, for example, H for hydrogen, C for carbon, N for nitrogen. If there is a second letter or third letter in the symbol it is a lower case letter for example, He for Helium, Uuh for Ununhexium.

Periodic Symbols
In 1828 Jakob Berzelius developed a table of atomic weights & introduced letters to symbolize elements, called Periodic Symbols. Each Chemical element is given a unique chemical symbol using abbreviations of their names which are used & recognised all over the world.

Chemical symbols of elements come from their English, Greek or Latin names for example the Periodic symbol for Gold is Au from the Latin word 'aurum' meaning gold.

Sb: Antimony : Sb - From the Greek words 'anti' and 'monos' meaning "opposed to solitude".
Cu: Copper : Cu - From the Latin word 'cyprium', after the island of Cyprus.
Au: Gold : Au - From the Latin word 'aurum' meaning gold.
Fe: Iron : Fe - From the Latin word 'ferrum' meaning iron.
Pb: Lead : Pb - From the Latin word 'plumbum' meaning lead.
Hg : Mercury: Hg - From the Greek word 'hydrargyros' meaning 'water' and 'silver'.
K: Potassium : K - From the Medieval Latin word 'kalium' meaning potash (pot ashes).
Ag: Silver: Ag - From the Latin word 'argentum' meaning silver
Sn: Tin : Sn - From the Latin word 'stannum' meaning tin
W: Tungsten:W - From the German word 'Wolfram'. Ancient alchemists called the metal "spuma lupi," the Latin words for 'wolf foam' which was translated to the word "wolframite" with reference to the unpleasant substance formed during the smelting of tin ores containing tungsten

List of Periodic Symbols
The following list provides details of each of the elements in the Periodic Table together with their Periodic Symbols and Atomic Numbers. Click on the link to an element to discover additional facts and information about the element and periodic symbols.