The First 20 Elements
Authored by Cindy Simpson
Chemistry
8th - 10th Grade
Used 7K+ times
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About
This quiz focuses on chemical symbols and element names for the first 20 elements of the periodic table, making it appropriate for grade 8-10 chemistry students. The questions systematically test students' memorization and recognition of element symbols in both directions - from element name to symbol and from symbol to element name. Students need to understand that chemical symbols are standardized abbreviations derived from either English names (like O for oxygen) or Latin names (like Na for sodium from "natrium" and K for potassium from "kalium"). The core skill being assessed is fundamental chemical literacy - the ability to quickly and accurately identify the relationship between common elements and their symbols, which serves as essential foundational knowledge for all future chemistry work including writing chemical formulas, balancing equations, and understanding chemical reactions. Created by Cindy Simpson, a Chemistry teacher in Canada who teaches grades 8 and 10. This quiz serves as an excellent tool for building and reinforcing the foundational knowledge that students absolutely must master before progressing to more complex chemistry concepts. I recommend using it as a warm-up activity at the beginning of class to maintain student familiarity with element symbols, or as a quick formative assessment to identify students who need additional practice with basic chemical vocabulary. The quiz works particularly well for homework assignments or review sessions before tests, as the multiple-choice format allows students to practice recognition while the distractors help identify common misconceptions. This assessment aligns with standards such as NGSS MS-PS1-1 and HS-PS1-1, which require students to use the periodic table as a model to predict properties of elements, as mastery of element symbols is prerequisite knowledge for these more complex applications.
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20 questions
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1.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
1 min • 1 pt
What is the symbol for CALCIUM?
2.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
1 min • 1 pt
What is the symbol for SODIUM?
3.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
1 min • 1 pt
H is the symbol for ...
4.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
1 min • 1 pt
S is the symbol for the element ...
5.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
1 min • 1 pt
The symbol for OXYGEN is ...
6.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
20 sec • 1 pt
Ne is the symbol for the element ...
7.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
1 min • 1 pt
The symbol for CHLORINE is ...
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