3.2: The Elements
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)The Elements
To date, 118 different elements have been discovered. Each element has a unique number of protons, which is the atomic number of an atom of that element. Students often get the terms atoms and elements mixed up. An atom is an entity of matter, it has a nucleus and electrons. An element is a type of atom, based on the number of protons in the atom's nucleus. Students in Prep Chem are required to memorize all the name and symbol of all the atoms that are not shaded in the periodic table of figure \(\PageIndex{1}\)
UALR students in my class are required to know name and symbol of all the elements in this periodic table that are not shaded If you click on the table it will open a printable PDF of the image.
Click here for a Downloadable PDF
Naming Convention
In writing the symbol for an element you always capitalize the first letter and none of the others, and students will loss points if they do not follow this convention. For example, Co is different than CO, with the first being the element cobalt, and the second a molecule called carbon monoxide
Tough Ones
Many of the elements have their symbols derive from their common English names, like C for carbon, U for uranium and Ca for calcium. Elements have also been named for their properties [such as radium (Ra) for its radioactivity], for the native country of the scientist(s) who discovered them [polonium (Po) for Poland], for eminent scientists [curium (Cm) for the Curie], for gods and goddesses [selenium (Se) for the Greek goddess of the moon, Selene], and for other poetic or historical reasons. Some of the symbols used for elements that have been known since antiquity are derived from historical names that are no longer in use; only the symbols remain to indicate their origin. Examples are Fe for iron, from the Latin ferrum; Na for sodium, from the Latin natrium; and W for tungsten, from the German wolfram. Examples are in Table 2.1.2.
Element | Symbol | Derivation | Meaning |
---|---|---|---|
antimony | Sb | stibium | Latin for “mark” |
copper | Cu | cuprum | from Cyprium, Latin name for the island of Cyprus, the major source of copper ore in the Roman Empire |
gold | Au | aurum | Latin for “gold” |
iron | Fe | ferrum | Latin for “iron” |
lead | Pb | plumbum | Latin for “heavy” |
mercury | Hg | hydrargyrum | Latin for “liquid silver” |
potassium | K | kalium | from the Arabic al-qili, “alkali” |
silver | Ag | argentum | Latin for “silver” |
sodium | Na | natrium | Latin for “sodium” |
tin | Sn | stannum | Latin for “tin” |
tungsten | W | wolfram | German for “wolf stone” because it interfered with the smelting of tin and was thought to devour the tin |
It is imperative that you memorize the names of the atoms of the elements that are not shaded in figure \(\PageIndex{1}\) and pay extra attention to the ones in table \(\PageIndex{1}\). On an exam you will probably not be asked what is the symbol of hydrogen or oxygen, but of radium or radon.
Test Yourself
Homework: Section 3.2
he following Flash Cards require you to type the names of 22 elements that are commonly misspelled.
Query \(\PageIndex{1}\)
For additional practice on names you can do the following quiz.
Query \(\PageIndex{1}\)