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NAME
The Experiment
Chemists work with chemicals that are often written as abbreviations using symbols from an alphabet
called the Periodic Table of Elements. It is similar to the alphabet you learned as a young child, but this one is
designed just for chemicals. Just like the 26 letters in our alphabet can be arranged to make words,
combinations of the 114 known elements in the Periodic Table can be arranged to name every chemical known to
humanity. It was important to learn the alphabet when you were little so you could read and write. It is also
important to be familiar with the names and symbols of the elements from the Periodic Table, so you can read
and understand chemical equations and formulas. Play Element Scrabble to acquaint yourself with many of the
114 symbols of the chemistry alphabet.
The Big Idea
Every element that has been identified by scientists is also identified by an abbreviated symbol. This
symbol allows the chemists to write the name of the chemical in shorthand.
Materials
1
1
Pen or Pencil
Periodic Table of Elements
1
1
Element Scrabble Worksheet
Imagination
Procedure
You have 20 minutes to create as many words as you possibly can using the symbols of the elements
listed below. For example, you can combine H and I to spell ‘HI’; or Ne, C, and K to spell NeCK. Use any symbols
as often as you like and use them multiple times in a single word. However, the words need to be real words in
the English language, and they must be school appropriate. Any questions, just ask.
Be sure to copy the symbols exactly as they are written below & on the Periodic Table. This is one time
that you won’t get in trouble for mixing upper & lower case letters together. List the words on the spaces
below. Let your imagination run wild! Good luck!
H
S
Ga
Pd
Pm
Os
Pa
He
Cl
Ge
Ag
Sm
Ir
U
Li
Ar
As
Cd
Eu
Pt
Np
Be
K
Se
In
Gd
Au
Pu
Sg
B
Ca
Br
Sn
Tb
Hg
Am
Bh
C
Sc
Kr
Sb
Dy
Tl
Cm
Hs
N
Ti
Rb
Te
Ho
Pb
Bk
Mt
O
V
Sr
I
Er
Bi
Cf
Ds
F
Cr
Y
Xe
Tm
Po
Es
Rg
Ne
Mn
Zr
Cs
Yb
At
Fm
Cn
Na
Fe
Nb
Ba
Lu
Rn
Md
Fl
Mg
Co
Mo
La
Hf
Fr
No
Lv
Al
Ni
Tc
Ce
Ta
Ra
Lr
Si
Cu
Ru
Pr
W
Ac
Rf
P
Zn
Rh
Nd
Re
Th
Db
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Translations
1. Select 5 words from your list on the front side and translate them. To do this, match the symbols from your
Scrabble words with the elements they represent on the Periodic Table. For example, HI is made up of two
symbols, H, which is the symbol for hydrogen, and I, which is the symbol for iodine. You would translate HI like
this: HI Hydrogen, Iodine
Chem Words
Translations
a. __________________
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b. __________________
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c. __________________
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d. __________________
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e. __________________
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2. Make sure to double – check your translations. Then translate the actual chemical formulas listed below.
Chemicals
Translations
a. NaOH
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b. HOH
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c. CaClCl
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d. SiO
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e. SnNOO
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3. Now write the chemical formula for each of these translations!
Chemical Formula
Translations
a. ________________
Hydrogen, Chlorine
b. ________________
Lithium, Bromine
c. ________________
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen
d. ________________
Zinc, Rubidium, Selenium, Iodine
e. ________________
Einsteinium, Curium, Mendelevium, Nobelium, Fermium