Lesson 3 of 18
An agreed short name
Show on a big screenCopper is tamba in Hindi. Scientists everywhere write it the same short way.
Step 1 of 3
- The name: Copper.
- Three ways to write its mark.
- Only
Cuis correct: capital, then small.
A symbol is the short mark for an element.
The rule
Every element has an agreed symbol. It starts with a capital letter. A second letter, if there is one, is small. Some symbols come from older names.
| Element | Symbol | Where the letters came from |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon | C | The first letter of the name |
| Nitrogen | N | The first letter of the name |
| Calcium | Ca | The first two letters of the name |
| Sodium | Na | An older name, natrium |
| Iron | Fe | An older name, ferrum |
| Copper | Cu | An older name, cuprum |
Build the symbol for five elements. Drag or tap the letters.
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Try the lab to finish this lesson.