1. Chemical Symbols and Formulas
Chapter 6

2. Elements
In 1817, Jakob Berzelius created an international system to represent all elements with symbols.
We still use his system today (all over the world), which involves elements being represented by one or two letters found in their name. The first letter is always capitalized. If there is a second letter, it is always a small letter.

3. CHEMICAL SYMBOLS
Different countries may have different words or spellings for elements, but everyone uses the same symbols.
You can probably see why carbon has the symbol C and nitrogen has the symbol N, but why does sodium have the symbol Na?

4. Language
Some symbols are short forms for element names in different languages, mostly Latin.
ELEMENT NAME
ELEMENT SYMBOL
NAME AND LANGUAGE
Sodium Na
Natrum, Latin
Potassium K
Kalium, Latin
Iron Fe
Ferrum, Latin
Gold Au
Aurium, Latin
Tungsten W
Wolfram,German
Lead Pb
Plumbum, Latin

5. Location
Some other elements have been named for locations around the world, such as:
ELEMENT NAME
ELEMENT SYMBOL
LOCATION NAMED FOR
Germanium Ge
Germany
Francium Fr
France
Polonium Po
Poland
Neptunium Np
Neptune (8th planet)

6. Famous Scientists
Other elements have been named after famous scientists:
ELEMENT NAME
ELEMENT SYMBOL
FAMOUS SCIENTIST
Einsteinium Es
Albert Einstein
Curium Cm
Marie and Pierre Curie
Nobelium No
Alfred Nobel
Rutherfordium Rf
Ernst Rutherford
Fermium Fm
Enrico Fermi

7. Classwork/Homework Name and Symbol of Elements Worksheet
Elemental Tale Worksheet
AIM 8 worksheet
Element Quiz – first 20 elements
Name and symbol
__________________________