118 Elements and Their Symbols and Atomic Numbers

118 Elements and Their Symbols and Atomic Numbers

Shivani PooniaUpdated on 01 Aug 2025, 04:07 PM IST

Have you wondered why hydrogen has the symbol H while potassium is represented by K? What is the logic behind assigning each element a unique atomic number? Well, you can find the answer to these questions by reading this article 118 Elements and Their Symbols and Atomic Numbers. In the periodic table, there are 118 elements, each of them has a unique name, symbol, and atomic number. Arrangements of elements in the periodic table depend on their atomic number and properties. These elements represent the wide range of Metals, Non-metals, and Noble Gases.

This Story also Contains

  1. Atomic Number
  2. What Does The Symbol Of An Element Mean?
  3. List Of 118 Elements: Name, Symbol, And Atomic Number
  4. 118 Elements In The Periodic Table
  5. Some Solved Examples
118 Elements and Their Symbols and Atomic Numbers
118mElements their atomic number

The first element, or the element whose atomic number is 1, is Hydrogen, represented by ‘H’, and the last element, whose atomic number is 118, is Oganesson, represented by the symbol ‘Og’. Most of the symbols are similar to the names of the elements, but there are certain symbols of objects with Latin roots. Its example is the lead described by Pb, which is derived from its Latin name "Plumbum". One such example would be the 'Fe' symbol used to represent the metal and could be associated with the Latin word iron, "Ferrum". Scroll down to know more about 118 Elements and Their Symbols and Atomic Numbers

Atomic Number

118 elements and their symbols and atomic numbers are arranged from left to right and top to bottom in order of increasing atomic number. In the modern periodic table, the elements' names and symbols are listed in order of increasing atomic number. Order generally coincides with increasing atomic mass. The rows are called periods. In a periodic table arranged in order of increasing atomic number, elements and symbols having similar chemical properties naturally line up in the same group.

The current table, today, contains a total of as element 118 elements and their symbols and atomic numbers. Since the names of the elements can be long and complex to use, they are indicated by using a symbol. Each item has a unique symbol.

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What Does The Symbol Of An Element Mean?

A sign or symbol is a note usually consisting of one or two letters that are used to represent a chemical object. There are also 3-character symbols. These are things that have just been merged and so-called for a while. There are some rules for marking. The first letter of the mark is usually capitalized, while the second (or third) letter is usually written in small letters. Eg. - Ca for Calcium, He for Helium, etc. If an item mark contains only one letter, it is always capitalized.

Eg. -Nitrogen (N), Oxygen (O), etc.

Symbols are often used to represent objects in a timeline. The chemical formula and proportions must also be used for those properties.

The following table provides a list of 118 elements and their symbols, atomic numbers, and the number of atoms.

Periodic table of elements with names and their symbols(List of elements)

List Of 118 Elements: Name, Symbol, And Atomic Number

The following table provides a list of 118 elements and their symbols, atomic numbers, and the number of atoms.

Name of the Element

Symbol of the Element

Atomic Number

Hydrogen

H

1

Helium

He

2

Lithium

Li

3

Beryllium

Be

4

Boron

B

5

Carbon

C

6

Nitrogen

N

7

Oxygen

O

8

Fluorine

F

9

Neon

Ne

10

Sodium

Na

11

Magnesium

Mg

12

Aluminium

Al

13

Silicon

Si

14

Phosphorus

P

15

Sulfur

S

16

Chlorine

Cl

17

Argon

Ar

18

Potassium

K

19

Calcium

Ca

20

Scandium

Sc

21

Titanium

Ti

22

Vanadium

V

23

Chromium

Cr

24

Manganese

Mn

25

Iron

Fe

26

Cobalt

Co

27

Nickel

Ni

28

Copper

Cu

29

Zinc

Zn

30

Gallium

Ga

31

Germanium

Ge

32

Arsenic

As

33

Selenium

Se

34

Bromine

Br

35

Krypton

Kr

36

Rubidium

Rb

37

Strontium

Sr

38

Yttrium

Y

39

Zirconium

Zr

40

Niobium

Nb

41

Molybdenum

Mo

42

Technetium

Tc

43

Ruthenium

Ru

44

Rhodium

Rh

45

Palladium

Pd

46

Silver

Ag

47

Cadmium

Cd

48

Indium

In

49

Tin

Sn

50

Antimony

Sb

51

Tellurium

Te

52

Iodine

I

53

Xenon

Xe

54

Cesium

Cs

55

Barium

Ba

56

Lanthanum

La

57

Cerium

Ce

58

Praseodymium

Pr

59

Neodymium

Nd

60

Promethium

Pm

61

Samarium

Sm

62

Europium

Eu

63

Gadolinium

Gd

64

Terbium

Tb

65

Dysprosium

Dy

66

Holmium

Ho

67

Erbium

Er

68

Thulium

Tm

69

Ytterbium

Yb

70

Lutetium

Lu

71

Hafnium

Hf

72

Tantalum

Ta

73

Tungsten

W

74

Rhenium

Re

75

Osmium

Os

76

Iridium

Ir

77

Platinum

Pt

78

Gold

Au

79

Mercury

Hg

80

Thallium

Tl

81

Lead

Pb

82

Bismuth

Bi

83

Polonium

Po

84

Astatine

At

85

Radon

Rn

86

Francium

Fr

87

Radium

Ra

88

Actinium

Ac

89

Thorium

Th

90

Protactinium

Pa

91

Uranium

U

92

Neptunium

Np

93

Plutonium

Pu

94

Americium

Am

95

Curium

Cm

96

Berkelium

Bk

97

Californium

Cf

98

Einsteinium

Es

99

Fermium

Fm

100

Mendelevium

Md

101

Nobelium

No

102

Lawrencium

Lr

103

Rutherfordium

Rf

104

Dubnium

Db

105

Seaborgium

Sg

106

Bohrium

Bh

107

Hassium

Hs

108

Meitnerium

Mt

109

Darmstadtium

Ds

110

Roentgenium

Rg

111

Copernicium

Cn

112

Nihonium

Nh

113

Flerovium

Fl

114

Moscovium

Mc

115

Livermorium

Lv

116

Tennessine

Ts

117

Oganesson

Og

118

Some Solved Examples

Example.1 What is the symbol of silver?

1) Si

2) Ar

3) (correct)Ag

4) Sb

Solution

The symbol of silver is Ag derived from the Latin word Argentum.

Hence, the answer is the option (4).

Example.2 Which of the following represents elements in increasing order of their atomic size?

1) I, Br, Cl

2) N, O, F

3) (correct)Be, Mg, Ca

4) Se, S, O

Solution

As we have learned

Vander Waals Radius - It represents the overall size of the atom which includes its valence shell in a non-bonded situation. It is half the distance between two similar atoms in separate molecules in a solid.Vanderwaals radius > metallic radius > covalent radius. Atomic size increases as we move down in a group

Hence, the answer is the option (3).

Example.3 Which of the following has the largest size

1) (correct)Al

2) Al+

3) Al+2

4) Al+3

Solution

With successive ionisations, the size of the species decreases. This is due to an increase in the effective nuclear charge which tends to hold the valence electrons more tightly thus leading to a reduction in the size.

Thus, the correct order of size is Al>Al+>Al2+>Al3+.

Hence, the answer is the option (1).

Example.4 Mendeleev’s periodic table is based on:

1) Atomic number

2) (correct)Atomic weight

3) Ionization enthalpy

4) None of the above

Solution

Mendeleev arranged the elements in horizontal rows and vertical columns in his table in order of their increasing atomic weights. In this way, elements with similar properties occupied the same vertical column.

Hence, the answer is the option (2).

Example 5: The element that does not belong to the same period of the remaining elements (modern periodic table) is:

(1) Palladium

(2) Iridium

(3) Osmium

(4) Platinum

Solution:

Palladium $\Rightarrow 5^{\text {th }}$ period
Iridium, Osmium, Platinum $\Rightarrow 6^{\text {th }}$ Period

Hence, the correct answer is option (1).

Practice More Questions from the link given in the Table:

Modern periodic table Practice question and MCQ
Mendeleev’s Periodic table Practice question and MCQ

Also, check-

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What's the significance of the atomic number 83 (bismuth) in terms of radioactive decay?
A:

Bismuth-209, with 83 protons, was long considered the heaviest stable isotope. However, it was discovered to be slightly radioactive with an extremely long half-life. This discovery challenged our understanding of nuclear stability at high atomic numbers.

Q: What's the significance of the atomic number 50 (tin) in terms of the dividing line between metals and metalloids?
A:

Tin, with atomic number 50, sits at the border between metals and metalloids on the periodic table. It exhibits properties of both, illustrating how atomic number influences an element's position and properties in the periodic table.

Q: How do atomic numbers help in understanding the concept of atomic emission spectra?
A:

Each element has a unique atomic emission spectrum due to its specific electron configuration, which is determined by its atomic number. When excited electrons return to lower energy levels, they emit light at characteristic wavelengths, creating a "fingerprint" for each element.

Q: Why are elements with even atomic numbers generally more abundant than those with odd atomic numbers?
A:

Elements with even atomic numbers are often more abundant due to the greater stability of nuclei with even numbers of protons and neutrons. This phenomenon, known as the Oddo-Harkins rule, is related to nuclear binding energies and the processes of nucleosynthesis.

Q: How do atomic numbers relate to the concept of electron shielding?
A:

Electron shielding increases with atomic number as more inner electrons shield outer electrons from the nuclear charge. This concept is crucial in understanding trends in atomic size, ionization energy, and other periodic properties.

Q: What's the significance of the atomic number 118 in terms of the current limits of the periodic table?
A:

Element 118 (Oganesson) is currently the highest atomic numbered element synthesized and the last element that fits in the traditional periodic table structure. Beyond this, new elements would require a new period and potentially new groups, challenging our current understanding of element organization.

Q: How do atomic numbers help in understanding the concept of diagonal relationships in the periodic table?
A:

Diagonal relationships exist between certain elements with similar properties but different atomic numbers, like lithium and magnesium. These relationships arise from a balance between atomic size and electronegativity, both influenced by atomic number.

Q: Why do transition metals often have similar properties despite having different atomic numbers?
A:

Transition metals have similar properties due to their partially filled d-orbitals, which allow for multiple oxidation states and similar reactivity. While their atomic numbers differ, their outer electron configurations are often similar, leading to comparable chemical behaviors.

Q: How do atomic numbers relate to the concept of electron promotion in transition metals?
A:

Atomic numbers determine the ground state electron configuration. In transition metals, electrons can be promoted from s to d orbitals during bonding. This promotion, possible due to the energy levels determined by atomic number, explains some of their unique properties.

Q: How do atomic numbers relate to the concept of metallic character?
A:

Metallic character generally decreases across a period and increases down a group. This trend is related to the ease of losing electrons, which is influenced by the electron configuration and effective nuclear charge, both determined by the atomic number.