The Periodic Table in Spanish: Let’s Learn About The Elements
Knowing about the periodic table in Spanish is useful even if you’re not in the field of chemistry. Why? We use and interact with many elements on a daily basis, in our jewelry, medication, house maintenance, and even our food.
Chemistry is everywhere! From the moment you wake up, there are already numerous chemical reactions happening in your brain and body. Having breakfast, brushing your teeth, taking a shower—all of these common activities involve chemistry.
Spanish students who have been learning for some time will find great benefits in learning about the periodic table in Spanish. Let’s enhance our skills through multidisciplinary learning!
Benefits of Multidisciplinary Learning
Multidisciplinary learning allows students to step out of their comfort zone to facilitate the introduction of new material. This learning method gives helpful students tools.
Being able to surprise Spanish speakers with unexpected nuggets of information could make the difference when looking for business and academic opportunities. Having elements from different disciplines at your disposal pays off in the long term. As a short-term benefit, you’ll learn some new Spanish vocabulary in the process.
The Periodic Table in Spanish
La tabla periódica de los elementos is a visual representation of chemical elements, organized by atomic number, electron configuration, and chemical properties.
Its conception was possible thanks to the efforts of numerous scientists. One of the most famous contributions was made by Russian chemist Dimitri Mendeleev. A
Let’s take a look at what each categorization in the periodic table of elements means.
1. Atomic Number
Atoms are composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons. El número atómico for each element describes how many protons are found in the nucleus of each atom. The atomic number gives different elements unique identities in the periodic table. The first element in the periodic table is hydrogen, with an atomic number of 1. The last element is oganesson with an atomic number of 118.
2. Electron Configuration
La configuración electrónica indicates the way electrons are structured, how they communicate and organize themselves. Think of electron configuration as a map that tells you where you might find electrons in any given atom.
3. Chemical Properties
Las propiedades químicas alter the composition of any given element. For this alteration to be considered a chemical property, it has to be evident and change its structure into something else. This means that touching or viewing the substance won’t affect its chemical properties.
Periodic Table in Spanish: Vocabulary
It’s mindblowing how the different properties that categorize the elements synergize with each other and give us a well organized spectrum of chemicals.
20 Common Elements
Let’s learn more about the periodic table in Spanish by looking at some of its most common elements.
1. Gold
Abbreviation: Au
Translation: Oro
Common uses: jewelry, currency, electronics
2. Carbon
Abbreviation: C
Translation: Carbono
Common uses: smelting; making pencils, inks, and paint
3. Hydrogen
Abbreviation: H
Translation: Hidrógeno
Common uses: fuel, fertilizers, important component of water
4. Oxygen
Abbreviation: O
Translation: Oxígeno
Common uses: energy intake, survival, life support
5. Helium
Abbreviation: He
Translation: Helio
Common uses: meteorology, cryogenics, balloons
6. Chlorine
Abbreviation: Cl
Translation: Cloro
Common uses: disinfectant, consumer products
7. Sodium
Abbreviation: Na
Translation: Sodio
Common uses: street lights, de-icing, preservative
8. Silver
Abbreviation: Ag
Translation: Plata
Common uses: jewelry, mirrors, electronics
9. Lithium
Abbreviation: Li
Translation: Litio
Common uses: batteries, treatment of bipolar disorders
10. Potassium
Abbreviation: K
Translation: Potasio
Common uses: treatment of high blood pressure and stroke prevention
11. Aluminum
Abbreviation: Al
Translation: Alumínio
Common uses: cans, foil, airplane parts
12. Iron
Abbreviation: Fe
Translation: Hierro
Common uses: building, smithing
13. Copper
Abbreviation: Cu
Translation: Cobre
Common uses: electronics, wiring, construction
14. Neon
Abbreviation: Ne
Translation: Neon
Common uses: high voltage indicator, cryogenic refrigerant
15. Calcium
Abbreviation: Ca
Translation: Calcio
Common uses: nutrition, building bone structure
16. Nitrogen
Abbreviation: N
Translation: Nitrógeno
Common uses: cryogenics, fertilizers
17. Mercury
Abbreviation: Hg
Translation: Mercurio
Common uses: thermometers, lamps, medicine
18. Cobalt
Abbreviation: Co
Translation: Cobalto
Common uses: magnets
19. Magnesium
Abbreviation: Mg
Translation: Magnesio
Common uses: fireworks, muscle and nerve function
20. Sulfur
Abbreviation: S
Translation: Sulfuro
Common uses: gunpowder, matches, fireworks
List of All Elements in Spanish
- Hydrogen — Hidrógeno
- Helium — Helio
- Lithium — Litio
- Beryllium — Berilio
- Boron — Boro
- Carbon — Carbono
- Nitrogen — Nitrógeno
- Oxygen — Oxígeno
- Fluorine — Flúor
- Neon — Neón
- Sodium — Sodio
- Magnesium — Magnesio
- Aluminum — Aluminio
- Silicon — Silicón
- Phosphorus — Fósforo
- Sulfur — Sulfuro
- Chlorine — Cloro
- Argon — Argón
- Potassium — Potasio
- Calcium — Calcio
- Scandium — Escandio
- Titanium — Titanio
- Vanadium — Vanadio
- Chromium — Cromo
- Manganese — Manganeso
- Iron — Hierro
- Cobalt — Cobalto
- Nickel — Níquel
- Copper — Cobre
- Zinc — Zinc
- Gallium — Galio
- Germanium — Germanio
- Arsenic — Arsénico
- Selenium — Selenio
- Bromine — Bromo
- Krypton — Kriptón
- Rubidium — Rubidio
- Strontium — Estroncio
- Yttrium — Itrio
- Zirconium — Zirconio
- Niobium — Niobio
- Molybdenum — Molibdeno
- Technetium — Tecnecio
- Ruthenium — Rutenio
- Rhodium — Rodio
- Palladium — Paladio
- Silver — Plata
- Cadmium — Cadmio
- Indium — Indio
- Tin — Estaño
- Antimony — Antimonio
- Tellurium — Telurio
- Iodine — Yodo
- Xenon — Xenón
- Cesium — Cesio
- Barium — Bario
- Lanthanum — Lantano
- Cer — Cerio
- Praseodymium — Praseodimio
- Neodymium — Neodimio
- Promethium — Prometio
- Samarium — Samario
- Europium — Europio
- Gadolinium — Gadolinio
- Terbium — Terbio
- Dysprosium — Disprosio
- Holmium — Holmio
- Erbium — Erbio
- Thulium — Tulio
- Ytterbium — Iterbio
- Lutetium — Lutecio
- Hafnium — Hafino
- Tantalum — Tantalio
- Tungsten — Tungsteno
- Rhenium — Renio
- Osmium — Osmio
- Iridium — Iridio
- Platinum — Platino
- Gold — Oro
- Mercury — Mercurio
- Thallium — Talio
- Lead — Plomo
- Bismuth — Bismuto
- Polonium — Polonio
- Astatine — Astato
- Radon — Radón
- Francium — Francio
- Radium — Radio
- Actinium — Actinio
- Thorium — Torio
- Protactinium — Protactinio
- Uranium — Uranio
- Neptunium — Neptunio
- Plutonium — Plutonio
- Americium — Americio
- Curium — Curio
- Berkelium — Berkelio
- Californium — Californio
- Einsteinium — Einstenio
- Fermium — Fermio
- Mendelevium — Mendelevio
- Nobelium — Nobelio
- Lawrencium — Laurencio
- Rutherfordium — Rutherfordio
- Dubnium — Dubnio
- Seaborgium — Seaborgio
- Bohrium — Bohrio
- Hassium — Hassio
- Meitnerium — Meitnerio
- Darmstadtium — Darmstadtio
- Roentgenium — Roentgenio
- Copernicium — Copernicio
- Nihonium — Nihonio
- Flerovium — Flevorio
- Moscovium — Moscovio
- Livermorium — Livermorio
- Tennessine — Teneso
- Oganesson — Oganesón
Strategies to Learn About the Periodic Table in Spanish
With over 100 elements to learn on the periodic table in Spanish, the goal of learning them all may seem distant. With the following techniques, you’ll make that goal seem closer than ever!
Progressive Difficulty
Some elements, such as hydrogen and oxygen, are the easiest to memorize because we encounter them frequently. If you start by learning the most common elements of the periodic table in Spanish, you’ll gain a solid base that will boost your confidence and set you on the right track!
Pro tip: integrate difficult elements little by little, and leave some easy elements to memorize later. Balance the difficulty curve to avoid getting discouraged.
Look for Similarities
Many elements have similar names in English and Spanish. You’ll even be able to guess some of them by observing similarities and patterns in the periodic table in Spanish.
Oftentimes, all you have to do is substitute the English suffix “-ium” for the spanish suffix -io. This trick won’t always work since some elements don’t have this suffix. Note that some elements that do have this suffix have slight alterations in their spelling.
Get a Positive Reaction From Your Peers
Multidisciplinary learning is a great way to expand your horizons. By learning the periodic table in Spanish, you’ll be able to practice vocabulary and learn terms that you can have at the ready to impress your peers when the time comes.
The magic of multidisciplinary learning lies in the prospect of slowly accumulating knowledge that will pay off in the long term while giving you short-term benefits, as well.
If you want to incorporate multidisciplinary learning into your life but you don’t know where to start, a Spanish teacher will have the grammatical knowhow that will facilitate your learning process and arm you with skills that will make you stand out in a competitive world. Take a free class with one of our certified Spanish teachers at Homeschool Spanish Academy, and get ready to get positive reactions from your fellow Spanish speakers!
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