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Periodic Table Quiz: Can You Guess the Element from Its Chemical Symbol?

How much did you remember from your high school chemistry class?

Periodic Table Quiz: Can You Guess the Element from Its Chemical Symbol?
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Test your smarts with this periodic table quiz

Unless you currently work in a field that involves science (or crack chemistry jokes all day), the days of memorizing the elements of the period table are long behind you. There are currently 118 known elements on the periodic table, and we’ve put 20 of them below to create a brain game that to tests your knowledge. Do you know what element Si is? What about Ne? See how many you get correct on this periodic table quiz. Then, take this quiz of 4th grade spelling words to test your spelling skills. 

Mg
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Mg

Do you know what element Mg is?

Magnesium
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Magnesium

Mg stands for Magnesium and it is the eighth-most abundant element in the earth’s crust. Every science nerd will appreciate these nerdy pick up lines.

H
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H

This is the first element on the periodic table, do you know what it is?

Hydrogen
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Hydrogen

The H stands for Hydrogen. Hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant element in the universe. These unsolved mysteries can easily be explained by science.

Si
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Si

What element is Si?

Silicon
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Silicon

Si is Silicon and it’s one of the elements in the sun and stars. Read up on these science facts you never learned in school.

N
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N

What element is N?

Nitrogen
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Nitrogen

N is the abbreviation for Nitrogen which makes up about 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume. If this periodic table quiz is too easy, see if you can pass the world’s shortest IQ test. Less than 20 percent of people can.

Ar
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Ar

Do you know what element Ar is?

Argon
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Argon

Ar is Argon. Argon is a colorless and odorless gas that is present in a very small part of the atmosphere. Here are some science mysteries no one has figured out yet.

He
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He

Hint, this is the second element on the periodic table.

Helium
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Helium

Did you guess that He was Helium? Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe. Take this Mensa IQ test to see where your IQ stands. 

O
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O

This one should be easy. Do you know what element O is?

Oxygen
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Oxygen

O is the chemical symbol for Oxygen. About two-thirds of the human body is oxygen. Want to switch it up? Take this state capitals quiz to test your knowledge.

K
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K

Hint, the element doesn’t start with the letter K.

Potassium
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Potassium

The chemical symbol for Potassium is K. Potassium is essential in plant growth and the human diet. If you’re acing this periodic table quiz, see if you can answer these basic questions about earth.

Cu
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Cu

What element is Cu?

Copper
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Copper

Cu is Copper, one of the most important metals. Learn about these interesting Earth facts you may not have learned in school.

Ca
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Ca

Another element that starts with a C, Ca.

Calcium
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Calcium

Ca is the chemical symbol for Calcium. It’s an essential part of bones, leaves, teeth, and shells. Learn about these “science facts” that are actually not true.

B
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B

Element B is in the second row of the periodic table, do you know what it stands for?

Boron
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Boron

B represents Boron, which contains properties that are borderline between metals and non-metals. These are the science trivia questions people always get wrong.

Ne
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Ne

What element is Ne?

Neon
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Neon

Did you guess that Ne is the chemical symbol for Neon? In a vacuum discharge tube neon glows a reddish-orange color. Its discharge is the most intense at ordinary voltages of all the rare gases. If this periodic table quiz leaves you wanting to learn more, check out these interesting facts about practically everything.

F
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F

What does the abbreviation F represent?

Fluorine
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Fluorine

F stands for Fluorine, and it’s the most reactive of all elements. Take a break for some laughs with these funny science jokes.

Al
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Al

What element is Al?

Aluminum
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Aluminum

Al is the chemical symbol for Aluminum. Pure aluminum is a silvery-white metal.

I
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I

What element does the I represent on the periodic table?

Iodine
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Iodine

I is for Iodine. Its compounds are very useful in organic chemistry, medicine and photography.

Rn
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Rn

Do you know what element Rn is?

Radon
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Radon

Rn is the chemical symbol for Radon. If inhaled it can be very dangerous to humans. In some areas, radon builds up in homes from the surrounding soil and rock and has to be mitigated.

Au
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Au

Hint, if you had a lot of this you would be rich.

Gold
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Gold

Au represents the element Gold, which is used to make jewelry among other things. It can be mixed with other elements to create white and rose gold. These creepy real experiments sound like science fiction.

Hg
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Hg

This one is tricky. Do you know what Hg is?

Mercury
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Mercury

Maybe surprisingly, Hg is the chemical symbol for Mercury. It is mainly found in cinnabar ore in Spain and Italy.

Be
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Be

Do you know what element Be is?

Beryllium
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Beryllium

Did you guess that Be is the chemical symbol for Beryllium? It is one of the metals with a very high melting point. Learn about these facts you’ve always believed that are actually false.

Co
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Co

Last one. What does Co stand for?

Cobalt
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Cobalt

Co is the chemical symbol for Cobalt. Cobalt is in meteorites. Did you get all 20 correct? If you got 100 percent on this periodic table quiz, try to pass this 4th-grade science quiz next.

Morgan Cutolo
Morgan Cutolo is a former senior production editor at Trusted Media Brands. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2016, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. In her free time, she likes exploring the seacoast of Maine, where she lives, and snuggling up on the couch with her corgi, Eggo, to watch HGTV or The Office.