Chemical symbols, like O for oxygen and Na for sodium, are special letters that help us identify elements on the periodic table.
Differences in Symbols:
Single Letter: Some elements use just one letter. For example, hydrogen is represented as H.
Two Letters: Other elements use two letters. For instance, chlorine is shown as Cl. Sometimes, these letters come from the element’s Latin name, like Na for sodium which comes from "natrium."
Chemical Formulas:
Chemical formulas show us how different elements come together to make compounds. They tell us which elements are in a substance and how many of each there are.
Here are a couple of examples:
Water is written as H₂O. This means there are 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.
Carbon dioxide is written as CO₂. This means there is 1 carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms.
Each formula gives us helpful information about the substances!
Chemical symbols, like O for oxygen and Na for sodium, are special letters that help us identify elements on the periodic table.
Differences in Symbols:
Single Letter: Some elements use just one letter. For example, hydrogen is represented as H.
Two Letters: Other elements use two letters. For instance, chlorine is shown as Cl. Sometimes, these letters come from the element’s Latin name, like Na for sodium which comes from "natrium."
Chemical Formulas:
Chemical formulas show us how different elements come together to make compounds. They tell us which elements are in a substance and how many of each there are.
Here are a couple of examples:
Water is written as H₂O. This means there are 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.
Carbon dioxide is written as CO₂. This means there is 1 carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms.
Each formula gives us helpful information about the substances!