List of elements by symbol

TOCright This is a list of chemical elements by symbol, including the current signification used to identify the chemical elements as recognized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, as well as proposed and historical signs. Also given is each element's atomic number, atomic mass or most stable isotope, group and period numbers on the periodic table, and etymology of the symbol.

NOTE: placing one's cursor over the entry in the etymology column will display a modern English translation for words of Greek, Latin, or other origin.

Current symbols

ymbols for named isotopes

The following is a list of isotopes of elements given in the previous tables which have been designated unique symbols. By this it is meant that a comprehensive list of current systematic symbols (in the ^uAtom form) are not included in the list and can instead be found in the Index to isotope pages chart. Some of the following symbols are no longer in use within the scientific community, however others (most notably some of the named isotopes of hydrogen) continue to be used today. Many of these symbols were designated during the early years of radiochemistry, and several isotopes (namely those in the actinium decay family, the radium decay family, and the thorium decay family) bear placeholder names using the early naming system devised by Ernest Rutherford. Although it is not an isotope, this is perhaps the most useful place to mention that H is the proposed symbol for the only created anti-element, antihydrogen.

Other symbols that look like element symbols

General:
*M: metal - any metal atom
*Mu: muonium
*Ps: positronium
*X: halogen - any halogen atom

From organic chemistry:

*Ac: acetyl - (also used for the element actinium: see above)
*Ar: aryl - (also used for the element argon: see above)
*Bn: benzyl
*Bu: butyl
*Bz: benzoyl - (also used for berzelium, an old suggested name for praseodymium).
*Cp: cyclopentadienyl
*Et: ethyl
*Me: methyl
*Ms: mesyl (methylsulfonyl)
*Ph: phenyl
*Pr: propyl - (also used for the element praseodymium: see above)
*R: radical - some unspecified element or radical
*Tf: triflyl (trifluoromethanesulfonyl)
*Tr: trityl (triphenylmethyl)
*Ts: tosyl

From inorganic chemistry:

*Ab: albite
*Di: didymium - Rare earth metal that proved to be a mixture of the elements praseodymium and neodymium.
*Dp: decipium - Rare earth metal that proved to be a mixture of the elements samarium, neodymium and praseodymium.
*Pp: philippium - rare earth metal that proved to be a mixture of the elements holmium and samarium.

Notes

References

* [http://www.vanderkrogt.net/elements/ Element name etymologies] . Retrieved July 15, 2005.
*Atomic Weights of the Elements 2001, [http://www.iupac.org/publications/pac/2003/7508/7508x1107.html Pure Appl. Chem. 75(8), 1107-1122, 2003] . Retrieved June 30, 2005. Atomic weights of elements with atomic numbers from 1-109 taken from this source.
* [http://www.iupac.org/news/archives/2005/atomic-weights_revised05.html IUPAC Standard Atomic Weights Revised] (2005).
* [http://www.webelements.com/ WebElements Periodic Table] . Retrieved June 30, 2005. Atomic weights of elements with atomic numbers 110-116 taken from this source.
*Lapp, Ralph E. "Matter". Life Science Library. New York: Time Incorporated. 1963.
*Leighton, Robert B. "Principles of Modern Physics". New York: McGraw-Hill. 1959.

External links

* [http://web.lemoyne.edu/~giunta/berzelius.html Berzelius’ List of Elements]
* [http://www.iupac.org/reports/1998/7001coplen/history.pdf History of IUPAC Atomic Weight Values (1883 to 1997)]