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Nature of Matter: Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures

An agreed short name

Copper is tamba in Hindi. Scientists everywhere write it the same short way.

The name: Copper.
Step 1 of 3
  1. The name: Copper.
  2. Three ways to write its mark.
  3. Only Cu is 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.

Six symbols, and where each one came from
ElementSymbolWhere the letters came from
CarbonCThe first letter of the name
NitrogenNThe first letter of the name
CalciumCaThe first two letters of the name
SodiumNaAn older name, natrium
IronFeAn older name, ferrum
CopperCuAn older name, cuprum

Build the symbol for five elements. Drag or tap the letters.

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This track

  1. 0 Start here
  2. 1 What pure means here
  3. 2 Substances that will not come apart
  4. 3 An agreed short name
  5. 4 Joined in a fixed ratio
  6. 5 Together, but not joined
  7. 6 Trying to get the parts back
  8. 7 Sorting everyday things into piles
  9. 8 Atoms joined as one particle
  10. 9 Which states are mixed?
  11. 10 Checkpoint: molecules and mixtures
  12. 11 Between a metal and a non-metal
  13. 12 Minerals from the ground
  14. 13 Same acid, different gas
  15. 14 What counts as matter?
  16. 15 Checkpoint: metalloids, minerals, the acid test and matter
  17. 16 The big picture
  18. 17 Track quiz

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