Question

Explain the term symbol. State the reason why the symbol of copper is “Cu” and of calcium is “Ca”.

Answer 1

Symbol

Symbol of an element is a one or two letter abbreviation of its name.

It is the first letter or the first letter and another letter of the English name or the Latin name of an element.

Both Calcium and Copper start with the same letter ‘C’. So another letter from the name of the letter is added to ‘C’.

Hence symbol of calcium is ‘Ca’ and symbol of copper is ‘Cu’ taken from the Latin name of copper i.e., cuprum.