The thought of recalling the whole periodic table is enough to put anyone off their preparations for an impending Chemistry assessment. Devoting some time and utilizing simple tricks to can help memorize the periodic table, turning the uphill task easy.
Tips and tricks to memorize the Periodic Table:
Hard copy – Print out a copy or copies of the table and learn it in parts. By carrying parts of the table, it can be learnt at will and in situations where killing time is required. However for visual learners, copying the table manually is a very good way to start the process of. Remembering the table becomes easier because of the very personal action of writing.
Segregate the chart into sections – learning predetermined patterns is something the human brain is good at. The periodic table is segregated into different categories. There are several grouping methods involved like the way it is listed in ascending order of the atomic number or the division of groups like alkali metals or noble gases. It is a good idea to make use of this property. Choose the pattern according to preference, make copies of selected segments and use them to memorise parts of the table. Revising and revisiting the segments from time to time is a good practice.
Creating abbreviations/acronyms/mnemonic sentences– The brain is adept at finding and remembering patterns. Exploiting this can be a major help when trying to remember seemingly mundane data sets such as the periodic table. Associating the elements to a sentence or names of places or familiar things can help remember the elements by that association. For instance, Argentina got its name from Argentum which is scientific name for silver, (Argentum –‘Ag’). This also sometimes helps remember extra information about the element or some trivia. Another way is to form a sentence or rhyme that will act as a mnemonic devise. For example the alkali metals can be very easily remembered using the string ‘Lilly’s Nana Kills Rubbish Creatures Franticaly.’
Correlate each element with a picture – Often our memory cortex uses pictures to associate with certain things. this can be a test or exercise also. For instance a pack of the pictures can be used to refresh the memory by trying to remember which element each picture represents. This also helps in remembering what each article in the picture is made up of. Going about the daily routine, one can make use of the copious amounts of extraneous visual data and see if it can be used to remember what each item seen is made up of.
Sing a song – As if by a choice of nature, human beings have been adept at memorising song lyrics almost involuntarily. Compose an original number to accommodate the names of the elements and hum it at leisure to memorize the periodic table. Being inventive or modifying the rap or lyrics of favorite songs, either way this will be a fun way to learn the mundane.
Share – The Internet can be used to check out karaoke numbers that are composed by people for this very purpose. There are exclusive quizzes available virtually that can test how much of it do you remember. Sharing the mnemonic device or the song with friends can help too. Teaching is by far the best way to learn something.
The Latin names – All signs in the periodic table are English abbreviations except for a few that are in Latin. Knowing the full Latin names will help remember the element.
Flash cards – Learning the table by preparing flash cards for each element or buying an existing set is a fun way of memorizing. All the vital information for each element can be related to its symbol, atomic number, atomic weight etc, and this information can be used by association to remember the element or vice versa.
Tips to learn the Periodic Table
Mnemonics are easy-to-remember lines or phrases one can use to memorize things that are difficult to learn. In this article, you will find Hindi mnemonics – one each for one group – to learn the Periodic Table
Here are some fun, interesting and naughty mnemonics in Hindi used by the backbenchers to memorize elements along each group or period:
Key To Reading These Mnemonics Or Hindi Sentence:
• These sentences contain letters denoting symbols of elements in the same order as they occur in a group or period.
• The symbols have been highlighted as bold letters in the sentence. However at the places where the complete symbol could not be included in the sentence, the first letters have been strung together and the second letter is shown in brackets. While reading the sentence you don’t have to read the letters in bracket. Just keep them in mind.
• At some places, phonetics have been used to denote a symbols such as ‘c’ could be replaced by ‘k’,’g’ with ‘j’, ‘I’ with ‘ea’ and ‘o’ with ‘u’, to make the sentence easier to remember.
S-Block Elements
Consisting of the first two groups, S-block elements have quite similar physical and chemical properties. The valence electrons of the elements in this block occupy s-orbitals.
Group 1 is known as alkali metals. It includes Lithium (Li), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Rubidium (Ru), Caesium (Cs), and Francium (Fr).
Mnemonic for Group 1: LiNa Ki Ruby Cse Friendship hai.
Group 2 is known as alkaline earth metals. It includes Beryllium (Be), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Strontium (Sr), Barium (Br), and Radium (Ra).Mnemonic for Group 2: Beta Mange Car Scooter Baap rone se Raazi
P-Block Elements
Consisting of last six groups of the periodic table (Groups 13 to 18), P-block elements have their valence electrons occupying p-orbitals. This block consists of non-metals, semi-metals and poor metals.
Group 13 is known as Boron group or the group of Icosagens or Triels. It includes Boron (B), Aluminium (Al), Gallium (Ga), Indium (In), and Thallium (Tl).
Mnemonic for Group 13: B A G I T.
Group 14 is known as Carbon group or the group of Crystallogens, Tetragens or Tetrels. It includes Carbon (C), Silicon (Si), Germanium (Ge), Tin (Sn), and Lead (Pb).
Mnemonic for Group 14: Chemistry Sir Gives Sanki Problems.
Group 15 is known as the group of Pnictogens or Nitrogen group. It includes Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Arsenic (As), Antimony (Sb), and Bismuth (Bi).
Mnemonic for Group 15: Nahi Pasand Aise Sab Bhai.
Group 16 is known as the group of Chalcogens or Oxygen group. It includes Oxygen (O), Sulphur (S), Selenium (Se), Tellurium (Te), and the radioactive element Polonium (Po).
Mnemonic for Group 16: Oh! Style Se Tel Polish.
Group 17 is known as the group of Halogens. It includes Fluorine (F), Chlorine (Cl), Bromine (Br), Iodine (I), and Astatine (At).
Mnemonic for Group 17: Fir Call kar Bahaar AayI Aunty.
Group 18 is known as the group of Noble gases, excluding Helium. Normally, they are all odorless and colorless gases with very low chemical reactivity. The group includes Helium (He), Neon (Ne), Argon (Ar), Krypton (Kr), Xenon (Xe), and the radioactive Radon (Rn).
Mnemonic for Group 18: He Never Arrived; Kara Xero Run pe out.
D-Block Elements
D-Block elements consist of element groups 3 to 12 that correspond to the filling of the d-orbital subshell of the second outermost shell. Groups 3 to 11 are also known as transitional metals. Group 12 elements, which have its d subshell completely filled, are also known as post-transition elements.
D-block elements and F-block elements show considerable similarities across the periods too.
We can memorize these elements across the periods:
Period 4 elements are quite stable and many of them are very common in earth’s crust or core or both. D-block elements it includes are Scandium (Sc), Titanium (Ti), Vanadium (V), Chromium (Cr), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Cobalt (Co), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn).
Mnemonic for Period 4: Science Ti(ea)cher Vineeta Criplani Man Fenko (FeCo) Ni Kyun(Cu) Zaanhai?
Read as: Science Teacher Vineeta Kriplani manfenko ni kyun zaan hai?
Period 5 elements are known to fill their 5s shell first, then 4d shells and then 5p shells, with rhodium being the exception. The elements of this period show many exceptions to Maledung rule. D-block elements it includes are Yttrium (Y), Zirconium (Zr), Niobium (Nb), Molybdenum (Mo), Technetium (Tc), Ruthenium (Ru), Rhodium (Rh), Pd (Palladium), Silver (Ag) and Cadmium (Cd).
Mnemonic for Period 5: Yeh Zarra Nabi bana Mohabaat mein T(c)eri, R(u)o R(h)o P(d)ukarogi Aaj(g) ise Chandni
Read as: Yeh Zarra Nabi bana Mohabbat mein Teri, Ro Ro Pukarogi Aaj ise Chandni
Period 6 includes the lanthanides or rare earths. Some of these transition metals are very valuable such as gold. D-block elements it includes are Lutetium (Lu), Hafnium (Hf), Tantalum (Ta), Tungsten (W), Rhenium (Re), Osmium (Os), Iridium (Ir), Platinum (Pt), Gold (Au) and Mercury (Hg).
Mnemonic for Period 6: L(u)a HafTa Warna Reh Us(Os) Irritating Popat ke saath Aur Hoj(g)a pagal.
Read as: La Hafta Warna Reh Us Irritating Popat ke saath Aur Hoja pagal.
Period 7 contains the radioactive elements only. It includes actinides which include the heaviest naturally occurring element Californium. All other elements are synthesized artificially. D-block elements.
it includes are Actinium (Ac), Rutherfordium (Rf), Dubnium (Db), Seaborgium (Sg), Bohrium (Bh), Hassium (Hs), Meitnerium (Mt), and Darmstadtium (Ds).
Mnemonic for Period 7: Ak(c)ele R(f) D(b) S(g)harma ki B(h)ook mein H(s)ain Maths ke Difficult sawaal.
Read as: Akele R D Sharma ki Book mein Hain Maths ke Difficult sawaal.
F-Block Elements
F-block elements have their valence electrons in f-orbitals. They are also known as inner transition elements. They can be divided into Lanthanides (also known as rare earth elements) and Actinides that are highly reactive to halogens and chalcogens like lanthanides but they react more easily.|
Lanthanides include Cerium (Ce), Praseodymium (Pr), Neodymium (Nd), Promethium (Pm), Samarium (Sm), Europium (Eu), Gadolinium (Gd), Terbium (Tb), Dysprosium (Dy), Holmium (Ho), Erbium (Er), Thulium (Tm), Ytterbium (Yb) and Lutetium (Lu).
We can learn all these in three parts:
Cerium (Ce), Praseodymium (Pr), Neodymium (Nd), Promethium (Pm), and Samarium (Sm)
Mnemonic for Lanthanides Part 1: Celina aur Priety Ne dande se Pammy aur Simmy ko mara.
Europium (Eu), Gadolinium (Gd), Terbium (Tb), Dysprosium (Dy), and Holmium (Ho)
Mnemonic for Lanthanides Part 2: Europe G(d)aya to TB(b) aur Di(y)arrohoea Ho gaya.
Read as: Europe Gaya to TB aur Diarrohoea Ho gaya.
Erbium (Er), Thulium (Tm), Ytterbium (Yb) and Lutetium (Lu)
Mnemonic for Lanthanides Part 3: E re, dekh Tamatar Yellow aur bLue hain.
Actinides include these f-block elements – Thorium (Th), Protactinium (Pa), Uranium (U), Neptunium (Np), Plutonium (Pu), Americium (Am), Curium (Cm), Berkelium (Bk), Fermium (Fm), Mendelevium (Md), Nobelium (No), and Lawrencium (Lr).
We can learn all these in three parts too:
1.Thorium (Th), Protactinium (Pa), Uranium (U), and Neptunium (Np)
Mnemonic for Actinides Part 1: Thode Pehelwan Unse Niptengey.
2.Plutonium (Pu), Americium (Am), Curium (Cm), Berkelium (Bk)
Mnemonic for Actinides Part 2: Purane Aam K(C)am Bikenge.
Read as: Purane Aam Kam Bikenge.
3.Fermium (Fm), Mendelevium (Md), Nobelium (No), and Lawrencium (Lr)
Mnemonic for Actinides Part 3: ItniFamily aMdani mein No Ladki rajee.