CHEMICAL SYMBOLS. 4.9 



eating the smallest chemical divisions of bodies ; 

 and molecule, as a small assemblage of atoms. 



Berzelius represents the different elementary 

 bodies by the initial letters of their Latin names. 

 Thus, O. denotes oxygen, H. hydrogen, N. ni- 

 trogen, S. sulphur, P. phosphorus, Cl. chlorine, 

 Br. bromine, I. iodine, F. fluorine, C. carbon, 

 Au. gold, Hg. mercury, Ag. silver, Cu. copper, 

 PI. platina, St. tin, Pb. lead, Zn. zinc, Si. sili- 

 cium, Se. selenium, As. arsenic, Fe. iron, M. 

 manganese, Al. aluminum, Mg. magnesium, Ca. 

 calcium, Ba. barium, L. lithium, Na. sodium, K. 

 potassium, (or kalium), which are the most im- 

 portant. 



The number of atoms in each element of a 

 compound is indicated by figures, as in the fol- 

 lowing formula. N. O 5 , represent 1 atom of ni- 

 trogen and 5 of oxygen, as in nitric acid : while 

 sulphuric acid, which is composed of 3 atoms of 

 oxygen and 1 of sulphur, is denoted by S. O 3 . 

 He has in many cases introduced symbols of 

 still more remarkable brevity arid convenience. 

 For example, the number of oxygen atoms in a 

 compound is designated by dots placed over the 

 letter, which indicates the element with which it 

 combines. Thus, the composition of water is 



represented by the symbol, H ; carbonic oxide 

 by C ; carbonic acid by C ; protoxide of nitrogen 



by N ; binoxide of nitrogen by N ; nitrous acid 



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