Elements and their symbols
Read Sc, Ti, V ... Zn like a chemist
1. Elements and their symbols: from zero
2. One letter, two substances
Co is a metal used to make magnets, but CO is a gas. How can one letter change so much?
Pick the right answer
Predict: what is CO?
- A. Cobalt, written in capitals
- B. Carbon (C) joined to oxygen (O)
- C. A new element called CO
الشرح
CO is carbon (C) joined to oxygen (O). Each capital letter starts a new symbol; in cobalt, Co, the second letter is small.
3. Elements and symbols
Element
A pure substance made of only one kind of atom. It cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical methods.
- One capital letter: C (carbon), V (vanadium).
- A capital + a small letter: Co (cobalt), Ti (titanium).
- Some come from Latin: Fe (ferrum, iron), Cu (cuprum, copper).
| Written | Letters | Means |
|---|---|---|
| C | one capital | carbon |
| Co | a capital + a small letter | cobalt |
| Fe | from Latin, ferrum | iron |
| CO | two capitals: two symbols | carbon + oxygen |
4. The ten elements of Ch.1
Ch.1 is about these ten elements. Tap them in the table, then match the pairs below.
Element table
Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn
Match the pairs
Match each symbol to its element.
- Fe
- Cu
- Mn
- Cr
- Ni
- Zn
5. Element or compound?
Sort into groups
Sort each formula.
NiTiO2CoCON2CuO
Pick the right answer
How many different elements are in KMnO4 (potassium permanganate, Ch.1 p.6)?
- A. 3
- B. 4
- C. 6
الشرح
KMnO4 contains 3 different elements: K, Mn and O. Mn is one symbol (capital M, small n), and the 4 counts oxygen atoms, not elements.
6. Summary
- An element is a pure substance made of one kind of atom.
- A symbol is one capital letter, or a capital letter + a small letter.
- Each capital letter starts a new symbol: Co is cobalt, CO is carbon + oxygen.
Can you explain why O2 is an element but CO is not?
Reveal
O2 has one kind of atom, oxygen, so it is an element. CO has two capitals, C and O: two kinds of atom, carbon and oxygen, so it is a compound, not an element.