Quiz yourself... how many elements can you name? How many elements can you list in order of increasing atomic number? It's not something most schools ask you to memorize, nor is listing the elements likely to gain you anything but strange looks, should you start naming them at a party or even in a science class. The Periodic Table is available for tests and quizzes, after all. I haven't tried listing all the elements, but I got tripped up early on in the transition elements reciting them in order. That's if you ignore that I sort of forgot about neon (minor omission, right?). I have a mnemonic to help you remember the order of the first nine elements. Tom Lehrer's 'The Elements' song lists the elements, though I don't see myself being able to sing along without written lyrics anytime soon. How about you?
Alphabetical Element List | Element Name Spelling Quiz
Alphabetical Element List | Element Name Spelling Quiz
Comments
My students memorize the first four rows plus #s56,80 & 82 for a test grade …and most make a 100. We make a word out of each row. “H-he” “LiBeBCNOFNe” ‘NaMgAlSiPSClAR” “KCaScTiVCrMnFeCoNiCuZnGaGeAsSeBrKr” Pronunciations are always different for each student, but that is never an issue. This is the way I memorized it when I was in High School and knowing the location of the most commonly used elements saves a LOT of time when working problems. …not to mention the ability to easily predict certain properties without having to look at the chart.
With this method the only trick to the test is when they have to spell each name correctly. There are a few surprising spellings.
Thanks for your column and all the helpful hints and information you give.
Sincerely,
Paula Marshall
Physics and Chemistry
Vanguard College Preparatory School
Waco, TX
When I was in high school (1967 -1969), the guys I hung with were the “geeks” of that time period. We not only memorized the periodic table but kept folded up copies in our wallets and snap quizzed each other in the hallways. This preoccupation with the Table has actually stood me well a number of times over the years. Businessmen have been amazed in meetings when it came up and nephews and nieces have been spurred on to explore the Table. Our cat has a Periodic Table placemat and I have a periodic table t-shirt that has the radioactive elements as glow in the dark. Lots of fun. The Table is the most concise statement of ultimate truth in the Universe.
Dr. Howard Schechter
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN
A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means.
Umm actually alot of science teachers make you memorize the elements. I have to for my tenth grade chemistry class. And I have friends that have to at other high schools as well.
H-He Libebcnofnnamgalsipsclar read it and memorized it then here we go u have the 3 first lines in ur head dudes ciao
It was not compulsory to learn the periodic table elements at Chemistry ‘A’-level in the UK in the early seventies, but to our teacher ‘Gabby’ Hayes the first two 8-element periods tripped off his tongue as two Russian ladies: libeb kernovne and narmig alsips color (occasional letters added to aid pronunciation).
I also attempted to add the next period as a name – Kay Cask Tivcreamen Feconi Cuzen Gageasse Breaker, but it doesn’t quite hit the spot in the same way.