SymbolsOfElementsNotes

2 Rules When Naming Elements

1. A single-letter symbol is always a capital letter
2. In a two-lettered symbol, only the first letter is capitalized

The symbols are based on the name of the element, (ex. Fe names ferrum, the Latin name for Iron)

Also, during the early days of chemistry, elements were named in the traditional language of Latin; as other elements were discovered, they were named in the language of the chemist who discovered them. This accounts for the reason that not all chemicals have Latin names.