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Because the symbols are the first one/two letters of their Latin name. For example Iron is Fe because the latin name for iron is ferrum.

addition: There was 'no domination of language English' at the time of discovery of first elements. Mendeleev used latin language.

It was Latin what was used at that period in chemistry, physics and in medicine.

Another example: Sodium (latin name Natrium, short symbol is Na)

Another example Potassium (latin name Kalium, short symbol taken was K)

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11y ago
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8y ago
Before chemistry became a science, alchemists had designed arcane symbols for both metals and common compounds. These were however used as abbreviations in diagrams or procedures; there was no concept of atoms combining to form molecules. With his advances in the atomic theory of matter, John Dalton devised his own simpler symbols, based on circles, which were to be used to depict molecules.The current system of chemical notation was invented by Berzelius. In this typographical system chemical symbols are not used as mere abbreviations - though each consists of letters of the Latin alphabet - they are symbols intended to be used by peoples of all languages and alphabets. The first of these symbols were intended to be fully universal; since Latin was the common language of science at that time, they were abbreviations based on the Latin names of metals - Fe comes from Ferrum, Ag from Argentum. The symbols were not followed by a period (full stop) as abbreviations were. Later chemical elements were also assigned unique chemical symbols, based on the name of the element, but not necessarily in English. For example, sodium has the chemical symbol 'Na' after the Latin natrium. The same applies to "W" (wolfram) for tungsten, "Hg" (hydrargyrum) for mercury, "K" (kalium) for potassium, "Au" (aurum) for gold, "Pb" (plumbum) for lead, and "Sb" (stibium) for antimony.Chemical symbols are understood internationally when element names might need to be translated. There are sometimes differences; for example, the Germans have used "J" instead of "I" for iodine, so the character would not be confused with a roman numeral.The first letter of a chemical symbol is always capitalized, as in the preceding examples, and the subsequent letters, if any, are always lower case (small letters).samantha-hera-pasigsci(06-02-09)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_element#Chemical_symbols

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14y ago

Because the symbols on the Periodic Table are derived from the Latin and/or Greek names for the elements. For example, Iron is noted on the table as Fe, derived from the Latin name of ferrum, as in ferrous oxide (the chemical name for rust).

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Also, the chemical symbols are international. Some seem logical for one language and some for another.

W for TUNGSTEN and K for POTASSIUM seem arbitrary to us but makes sense to a German, who calls them WOLFRAM and KALIUM.

H for HYDROGEN and C for CARBON make sense to us but seems arbitrary to a German, who calls them WASSERSTOFF and KOHLENSTOFF.

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13y ago

Because, some of the elements have names that came from Latin, such as how Iron has the symbol Fe, which comes from the Latin word Ferrum.

The names were never changed, they were in fact translated.

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12y ago

Such as,

Na = sodium

The Latin name here is naturium, so that was used instead

Many elements use Latin or Greek names to derive the chemical symbol on the periodic table. Some othe languages are used to.

Tungsten's symbol is W. This is from the German, wolfram.

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12y ago

Some elements use a symbol that is based on a Latin name (gold is Au from aurum) or an earlier name (tungsten is W from "wolfram").

(see the related question)

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Mary Medonu

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1y ago
Thanks u helped my son 100%

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11y ago

Sometimes symbols are derived from the latin or greek name of the elements

Sodium

Latin: Natrium

Symbol: Na

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7y ago

Sometimes the name used is an alternative or the name in another language. For instance potassium is K from the medieval Latin 'kallium'. Tungsten is W from its alternative name, wolfram.

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Olivia Lock

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2y ago

some symbols are based on a Latin name or an earlier name.

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Q: Why do some elements have symbols that are different form their names?
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Related questions

List the first elements and their symbols form the periodic table of elements?

Refer to the related link.


Why do elements have odd symbols?

You may be referring to the elements whose symbols do not match their names. Such symbols refer to names for those elements (or something related) in other languages. Examples: Au (gold) comes from the Latin word aurum W (tungsten) comes form the Swedish word wolfram. Tungsten is still sometimes called wolfram. Na (sodium) comes from the Latin word natrium which itself may come from the Egyptian word natron. Natrium is the modern German word for sodium.


Do rocks have elements?

Yes but different sorts in different rocks and in the form of compounds as well as elements.


What names the elements that combine to form a compound?

The chemical name of the compound is often based on the names of the elements that are part of it. However, for many simple organic compounds it is not possible to determine the component elements.


Why are elements given a symbol?

Different languages have their own words for elements, but chemical symbols are international, so they provide a universal way of specifying chemicals. A chemical formula is not specific to any language and will make the same sense in any country. Also, many molecules and formulae involve a large number of different elements, or complex arrangements of the same elements, and symbols provide a way to express them without being too long.


When two or more atoms form different elements join they form?

When two or more atoms from different elements join together chemically they form a compound. The compound can be ionic or covalent/molecular depending on the elements that are combined.


What uses symbols to show what elements have combined to form a compound?

This combination of symbols is known as a chemical formula.


Different form of same elements due to different arrangements?

allotrope


Can atoms of different elements combine to form a compound?

Yes: compounds have to consist of at least two different elements.


What can atoms of different elements form?

Chemical compounds


What do atoms of different elements combine to form?

neutral


What do atoms with different elements form when bonded?

a compound