All about Names of the Chemical Elements
1. There are 115 chemical elements known today to the world. Only 90 are found in nature and the rest are artificially created.
2. A good number of elements are named after human beings and mythological figures.
3. Many common element have their names derived from their Latin or Greek names.
4. Elements have been named after heavenly bodies, countries, cities, colours and their properties.
5. According to IUPAC standard, newly discovered elements must have names ending with "ium".
6. Element Names after Gods and Goddesses
| God or Goddess | Element Name |
|---|
| Goblin | Cobalt |
| Titans | Titanium |
| Thor | Thorium |
| Prometheus | Promethium |
| Vanadis (Frejya) | Vanadium |
| Niobe | Niobium |
| Tantalos | Tantalum |
7. Element Names after Heavenly Bodies (Planets, Dwarf Planets etc.) Few are the names of God and Goddesses also. e.g. Ceres - a dwarf planet - named after Roman god of agriculture.
| Heavenly Body | Element Name |
|---|
| Sun | Helium |
| Sun (Aurum) | Gold (Au) |
| Neptune | Neptunium |
| Pluto | Plutonium |
| Earth (tellus) | Tellurium |
| Moon | Selenium |
| Moon (Argentum) | Silver(Ag) |
| Uranus | Uranium |
| Ceres | Cerium |
| Mercury (Hydragium) | Mercury (Hg) |
| Mars (Ferrum) | Iron (Fe) |
| Venus (Cuprum) | Copper (Cu) |
| Saturn (Plumbum) | Lead (Pb) |
| Jupiter (Stanum) | Tin (Sn) |
8. Element Names after Countries or Cities or Places
| Country/City | Element Name |
|---|
| America | Americium |
| Cyprus | Copper |
| Europe | Europium |
| France (Gaul) | Francium, Gallium |
| Germany | Germanium |
| Scandinavia | Scandium |
| Poland | Polonium |
| Russia (Ruthenia) | Ruthenium |
| California, USA | Californium |
| Magnesia (Greece) | Magnesium |
| Hess, Germany | Hassium |
| Rhine, Germany | Rhenium |
| Darmstadt, Germany | Darmstadium |
| Stockholm (Holmia) | Holmium |
| Ytterby, Sweden | Yttrium, Ytterbium, Erbium, Terbium |
| Dubna, Russia | Dubnium |
| Copenhagen (Hafnia) | Hafnium |
| Paris (Lutetia) | Lutetium |
| Berkeley, USA | Berkelium |
9. After Scientists
| Name of the Scientist | Element Name |
|---|
| Albert Einstein | Einstenium |
| Marie Curie | Curium |
| Niels Bohr | Bohrium |
| Mendeleyev | Mendelevium |
| Alfred Nobel | Nobelium |
| Rutherford | Rutherfordium |
| Enrico Fermi | Fermium |
| Roentgen | Roentgenium |
| Gadolin | Gadolinium |
| Seaborg | Seaborgium |
| Lawrence | Lawrencium |
| Meitner | Meitnerium |
10. Elements named after properties
| Property or Feature | Element Name |
|---|
Water Forming
(hydros + geinomai) | Hydrogen |
Acid Forming
(oxys + geinomai) | Oxygen |
Nitre Forming
(nitron/soda + geinomai) | Nitrogen |
| To Flow (Fluere) | Fluorine |
| Magnetic (magnes) | Manganese |
| Inactive (argos) | Argon |
Stranger/Unknown
(xenon) | Xenon |
| Hidden (kryptos) | Krypton |
| Artificial (technetos) | Technetium |
| Unstable (astatos) | Astatine |
| Stench (bromos) | Bromine |
| Not Alone (anti + monos) | Antimony |
| Heavy (barys) | Barium |
| Hard to obtain (dysprositos) | Dysprosium |
| Smell (osme) | Osmium |
| To lie hidden (lanthanein) | Lanthanum |
11. Named after colours and appearances
| Colour | Element Name |
|---|
| Colour (chroma) | Chromium |
| Deep Red (rubidus) | Rubidium |
| Rainbow (iris) | Iridium |
Rose (rhodon) | Rhodium |
| Pale Green (chloros) | Chlorine |
| White (wiesse masse) | Bismuth |
| Golden Yellow (zargun) | Zirconium |
| Indigo | Indium |
| Violet (iodes) | Iodine |
| Yellow orpiment (arsenicum) | Arsenic |
| Green Twig (thallos) | Thallium |
| Sky blue (caesius) | Caesium |
12. Elements are named after minerals
| Mineral | Element Name |
|---|
| Charcoal (carbo) | Carbon |
| Stone (lithos) | Lithium |
| Lime (calx) | Calcium |
| Earth (tellus) | Tellurium |
| Calamine (cadmia) | Cadmium |
| Devil's Copper (kupfernickel) | Nickel |
| Alum (alumen) | Aluminium |
| Heavy Stone (tungs sten) | Tungsten |
| Samarskite | Samarium |
Notes
Structure of the Atom - Notes
1. Drawback of Rutherford’s Model of the Atom
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2. Rutherford’s Experiment - Discovery of Nucleus
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3. For the symbols H, D and T,tabulate three sub-atomic particles found in each of them.
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5. Structure of The Atom - Study Points
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10. Arrangement Of Electrons In The Atoms
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12. Limitations of Rutherford's model of the atom
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16. All about Names of the Chemical Elements
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17. How to learn naming Chemical Formulae?
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21. Comparison between Proton, Neutron and Electron
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22. Electronic Configurations of First 20 Elements
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26. Rules for writing of distribution of electrons in various shells for the first 18 elements
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36. The Physical Properties of the Isotopes of an Element are Different
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39. All the Isotopes of an Element Have Identical Chemical Properties
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42. Relationship Between Mass Number and Atomic Number
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44. Valaence Electrons (Or Valancy Electrons)
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45. Electronic Configurations of Noble Gases (or Inert Gases)
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48. Reason for the Fractional Atomic Masses of Elements
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49. Applications of Radioactive Isotopes
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