When you open any file of an element in the periodic table, you will find a
small table with some
basic information about that element. Here's how
you use that table:
Atomic Number
The number of protons in an atom defines what element it is.
For example carbon atoms
have six protons, hydrogen atoms have one, and oxygen atoms have eight. The
number
of protons in an atom is referred to as the atomic number of that element. The
number of
protons in an atom also determines the chemical behavior of the element.
Atomic Symbol:
The atomic symbol is one or two letters chosen to represent an element ("H"
for
"hydrogen," etc.).
These symbols are used internationally. Typically, a symbol is the
truncated name of the element or the truncated Latin name of the element.
Click here for
a list of the elements and their symbols.