Element symbol
Match each element with its chemical symbol.
Element symbols are 1- or 2-letter codes used worldwide in chemistry. Some are easy (H, He, Li) but many come from Latin names: Au for gold, Fe for iron, Hg for mercury, Pb for lead. This quiz drills you on all 118 of them. Choose 10/20/50/all-118 to play without repeats, or pick a timed/endless mode to keep going.
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Frequently asked questions
Why don't some element symbols match the element name?
Many symbols come from Latin or Greek rather than English. Sodium is Na (natrium), iron is Fe (ferrum), lead is Pb (plumbum), mercury is Hg (hydrargyrum), gold is Au (aurum), silver is Ag (argentum), tin is Sn (stannum), and antimony is Sb (stibium).
What rules decide an element symbol?
IUPAC assigns symbols. The first letter is always capitalised, and a second letter (if present) is lowercase, so a symbol cannot be confused with a chemical formula. Symbols are intended to be language-neutral.
Are there elements with 3-letter symbols?
Yes, but only temporarily. Elements that haven't been officially named yet get 3-letter placeholder symbols based on their atomic number (for example Uue for ununennium, element 119). Once named they're shortened to 1 or 2 letters.
What's the difference between an element symbol and a chemical formula?
A symbol identifies a single element (Fe = iron). A formula combines symbols and subscripts to describe a compound or molecule (Fe2O3 = iron oxide). The strict capitalisation rule for symbols is what makes formulas parsable.