Naming the Elements

Periodic table of chemicals lays the known elements according to cyclic properties of elements in groups and rows. for example, alkali metals group form alkaline solutions when they are put in the water. Only the reaction rates are different.

Atoms have been named based on various ways like geographical regions, mythology characters and names of scientists and countries. Atoms that have the same name have a similar appearance and similar habits. There are approximately 90 naturally occurring families of atoms. Their names have very different roots, such as:

Named after geographical regions

• Europium
• Francium
• Polonium
• Germanium
• Hafnium

Names from mythology:

• Cerium,
• Palladium(Pallas),
• Tantalum, 
• Plutonium (Pluto),
• Thorium (Thor)

Atoms named after materials:

• Carbon,
• Sulfur,
• Iron,
• Copper,
• Nickel, 
• Lead,
• Zinc,
• Gold

Atoms named after famous people:

• Curium,
• Einsteinium, 
• Mendelevium,
• Nobelium

Names that indicate a physical characteristic:

• Phosphorus = Light Emitting
• Fluorine = Melts easily
• Iodine = Purple
• Bromine = Foul Smelling
• Dysprosium = Difficult to find