Definition Of Symbol Of An Atom
A chemical symbol is a 1-, 2-, or 3-letter internationally agreed code for a chemical element, usually derived from the name of the element, often in Latin.
More About Symbol of an atom
- Only the first letter is capitalized. For example, "He" is the symbol for helium
- The symbol of the atom lead is ‘Pb’ (Plumbum)
- W" for tungsten (Wolfram in German)
- Temporary symbols assigned to newly or not-yet synthesized elements use 3-letter symbols based on their atomic numbers
- For example, "Uno" was the temporary symbol for hassium which had the temporary name of unniloctium and "Uuo" is the symbol for ununoctium (temporary name) with the atomic mass 118.
- Chemical symbols may be modified by the use of prepended superscripts or subscripts to specify a particular isotope of an atom
- Additionally, appended superscripts may be used to indicate the ionization or oxidation state of an element
- They are widely used in chemistry and they have been officially chosen by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
- Dalton was the first scientist to use the symbols for elements
- When Dalton used symbols for elements, he specified a particular quantity of that element, that is, one atom of that element
- Many of the symbols are first one or two letters of the English name of that element
- The first letter of the element is always written as a capital letter and the second letter is written as small letter
- For example,
- Symbol of hydrogen is ‘H’
- Symbol of Aluminium “Al”
- Symbol of cobalt is “Co”
- Symbols of some elements are formed from first letter of that element and another letter after that
- For example
- Symbol of chlorine is “Cl”
- Symbol of Zinc is “Zn”
- Symbol of magnesium is “Mg”
- Symbol of mercury is “Hg” (hydragerum, a Greek word)
- Some symbols are taken from the names of elements in Latin, Greek or German words
- Symbol of sodium is “Na” (Natrium)
- Symbol of potassium is “K” (Kalium)
- Symbol of iron is “Fe” (Ferrum)
- Symbol of silver is “Ag”(Argentum)
- Therefore, each element has a name and a unique chemical symbol
