Chemical Symbols
Some of the abbreviations for the names of elements make sense--H for
hydrogen, C for carbon, He for helium. But some of them seem completely
random. What's the deal?
Some elements have been given symbols based on their names in Latin, which was
once commonly used by scientists as an international language. For example,
here are some familiar elements with their Latin names:
| Element | Symbol | Latin name |
|---|---|---|
