ElementsTips for learning symbols
- Start with the first 20 elements. School courses usually expect these by heart.
- Most symbols are the first letter, or the first letter and one more, of the English name: C for carbon, Ca for calcium, Cl for chlorine.
- Eleven symbols come from Latin or German names, such as Na for sodium and Fe for iron. Learn those as a separate set.
- The first letter is always a capital and the second is always small. Co is cobalt, but CO is a compound of carbon and oxygen.
- Short daily practice works better than one long session.
How the quiz works
Each round has ten questions. Some show a symbol and ask for the element, and others show a name and ask for the symbol, so you practise in both directions. You pick from four answers and see at once whether you were right. Choose which elements to be asked about: the first 20, which is what most school courses expect by heart, the first 36, which takes you to the end of the fourth row, or all 118. Your best score for each set is kept in this browser only, and nothing is sent anywhere.
Symbols that catch people out
- Pairs that start alike: Mg is magnesium and Mn is manganese. Ca is calcium, Cd is cadmium, Cs is caesium and Cu is copper.
- One letter or two: B is boron but Be is beryllium, Br is bromine and Ba is barium. N is nitrogen, Ne is neon, Ni is nickel and Na is sodium.
- Letters from an older name: K is potassium, W is tungsten, Hg is mercury, Sn is tin, Sb is antimony and Pb is lead.
- P, S and their neighbours: P is phosphorus, not potassium. S is sulfur, Si is silicon, Sc is scandium and Se is selenium.
In a class or with friends
Read each question aloud and let everyone answer before you tap. After a round, use the WhatsApp button to send your score to a friend as a challenge.