Symbols

Question 1

What are symbols?

Answer 1

A Symbol is the short hand representation for the atom of a specific element. Each chemical element has its own unique symbol

Question 2

How were symbols derived?

Answer 2

Alchemists used to associate the symbols of the planets not only with the days of the week but the 7 metals known at that time-gold, silver, iron, mercury, tin, copper ,lead.

Question 3

Who was John Jacob Berzelius and what did he do?

Answer 3

He was a Swedish scientist who in the 19th century systematically assigned the 1st letter of the name of an element in capital as the symbol for that element. This later on formed the basis for IUPAC(international union of pure and applied chemistry) system of chemical symbol and formulae.

Question 4

What is a formula?

Answer 4

A formula is a shortcut or symbolic representation of one molecule of an element or compound.
Formula = (Symbol) atomicity

Question 5

What is atomicity?

Answer 5

Atomicity of an element is the number of atom(s) present in one molecule of an element.

Question 6

Give examples of monoatomic elements

Answer 6

Sodium(Na), Potassium(K), Mg, Al, He, Ne, Ar, Krypton(Kr), all inert gases

Question 7

Give examples of diatomic elements

Answer 7

H2(Hydrogen), O2(Oxygen), N2(Nitrogen), Cl2(Chlorine), F2(Fluorine)

Question 8

Give examples of triatomic elements

Answer 8

O3(Ozone)

Question 9

Give examples of tetraatomic elements

Answer 9

P4(Phosphorus)

Question 10

Give examples of octaatomic elements

Answer 10

S8 (Sulphur)

Question 11

Latin name of Calcium, Aluminium, Zinc, Antimony, Tin, Mercury

Answer 11

Calx(Ca), Alumen(Al), Zinke(Zn),Stibium(Sb), Stannum(Sn), Hydrargyrum(Hg)