How To Memorize the Order of the Elements?

Answer 1

Why memorize the order of the elements? I have had over 7 years of study in chemistry and have not sat down ever to memorize the order they are in. Now does that mean I can not sit down and write down the elements and place them in correct order, no, but my point is that you have to use the information frequently and over a long period of time to build it to this point. The other thing is that this is a trivial matter that shows no understanding of chemistry or any of the sciences.

The easiest way I have found to organize the information is to remember what behaves alike (as these things fall together, in groups typically) and about how heavy the element is. Take for example silver, gold, and platinum are all precious metals used in jewelery and of those gold and silver typically have similair compounds (at least when gold actually forms a compound) so they sit on top of one another, with gold on the bottom as it is heavier... then to the left of gold is platinum as it has more metal like characteristics than gold. Combining how the elements act and their relative heaviness will allow you to recreate most of the periodic table and then have their order.

Someone earlier had mentioned a song, "The Elements" by Tom Lehrer is a humourous approach to remembering all their names, but alas the song was written and performed in the late 70's and is currently incomplete and in the song only Nitrogen is in its correct place (as number 7).

Answer 2

Use a mnemonic sentence. They exist for many different lists (not just chemistry or science). The one below is for the first nine elements of the periodic table:

Happy Henry Likes Beer But Could Not Obtain Food

for

H - hydrogen
He - helium
Li - lithium
Be - beryllium
B - boron
C - carbon
N - nitrogen
O - oxygen
F - fluorine


The mnemonic below is for the first twenty elements:

(For all the) Him & Hers -
Little Betty Bright Child, Nurses Our Friends Neatly. Nasty Magy Always Sings Pop Songs Clearly Around Kirsty Carol

for

H - Hydrogen
He -Helium
Li -Lithium
Be -Beryllium
B -Boron
C -Carbon
N -Nitrogen
O -Oxygen
F -Fluorine
Ne -Neon
Na -Sodium
Mg -Magnesium
Al - Aluminum
Si -Silicon
P -Phosphorous
S -Sulphur
Cl -Chlorine
Ar -Argon
K -Potassium
Ca -Calcium


For more mnemonic sentences, search google for the text string "mnemonic periodic table".

Answer 3

someone actually has a song for the elements in order, you can try to memorize this song

Answer 4

@ the above person
hey dats kool answer
@question
newys theres a table n one cn memorize dat table by photo memory power

Answer 5

try memorizing the initials in ur brain