Chemistry-Elements,

Compounds and
Mixtures
UNIT-I-ELEMENTS AND COMPOUNDS
 Element

• A pure substance which cannot be broken into two or more pure

substances by any chemical means, is called an element. Chemists
have discovered 118 elements so far. Amongst these 82 elements are
normal elements. Normal elements means such elements that do not
give any harmful radiations. 36 elements are radioactive. Radioactive
elements means elements which give out harmful elements.
 Symbols of Elements

• In Mathematics, we denote mathematical operations by symbols. The

same way in Chemistry, each element is denoted by a symbol. Each
element is denoted by the first letter of its name(In English or Latin)in
CAPITAL LETTERS. For example, symbol of element carbon is C.
However, when the first names of several elements is same, then the
element is denoted by two letters. First letter of the symbol is in
Capital letter, followed by the second or third letter is in the name of
element in small letter.
 Names and Symbols of the First 20 Elements

1.Hydrogen-H 11. Sodium-Na

2. Helium-He 12. Magnesium-Mg
3. Lithium-Li 13. Aluminium-Al
4.Beryllium-Be 14.Silicon-Si
5. Boron-B 15.Phosphorus-P
6.Carbon-C 16. Sulphur-S
7. Nitrogen-N 17. Chlorine-CI
8. Oxygen-O 18. Argon-Ar
9. Fluorine-F 19. Potassium-K
1o. Neon-Ne 20. Calcium-Ca
Formulae of compounds