Why do some chemical symbols for elements consist of two letters and others only of one?

Answer 1

This is because there is not enough letters for all the elements if they were all with one letter and they would have to to repeat the letters again and you wouldn't know which element is which and if there was two letters it would be much much easier for you too know,so you could get the initial of the element.....:). ( it took me awhile to figure it out...) hope you understand it...

Answer 2

Swedish chemist, Jons Berzelius developed a system of abbreviations. He took the initial letter of the Latin name of each chemical element. If the first two letters were common to two metals, he used both the initial letter and the first letter they did not have in common.

Answer 3

the simple answer is that there are more that 26 elements, hence the need for 2 letters. Typically very most common elements have only one letter: Oxygen (O), Hydrogen (H), Carbon (C).... There are no atomic symbols that have 3 letters.

Answer 4

Because there are more elements than there are letters.

Answer 5

Because there are over 100 elements on the Periodic Table and only 26 letters in the alphabet.

Answer 6

One letter symbols are more convenient, but there are only 26 of them, and there are over 100 elements.

Answer 7

Due to the equation PH*Y ((54%) & FGHS@^) H2O - G(N47( ~2) =nbN GuNhYZ *BSjs^(*8fd5) = penis

Answer 8

There are more than 26 elements.

Answer 9

cause it just does