Recognising a chemical symbol and spelling an element name are different tasks. Four sets in atomic-number order let you connect 118 visible names with their symbols and numbers without needing to memorise the entire table before starting.
Which names and sets will you practise?
Four sets follow atomic-number order: 1–30, 31–60, 61–90 and 91–118. The last set has 28 entries and the full collection runs from hydrogen to oganesson. Names were checked on 2026-10-31; numbers, symbols and English names follow the IUPAC table dated 2022-05-04, while Korean display names follow the Korean Chemical Society table. Family colors are this project’s own palette and indicate grouping rather than measured physical properties.
The collection contains 118 names in 4 sets. The examples below are actual entries from each set rather than the complete lists. Open a set link to inspect its full sequence and choose a manageable amount of vocabulary for your first session.
Read the differences before typing
English displays aluminium, sulfur and caesium, with registered alternatives such as aluminum, sulphur and cesium. In Korean, Na displays sodyum and also accepts nateuryum; these conventional names are not described as obsolete in every classroom. Compare Co with C, I with In, and Rf with Rg using both the second letter and number. Chinese simplified and traditional names and readings may differ. Ambiguous pinyin within a set uses atomic-number suffixes such as lü13 and lü17. Those digits are separators, not tones; pinyin remains usable if a rare character lacks a font glyph.
Choose one set for a first session rather than all 118 names. When cards such as carbon and cobalt look similar, check the number and second symbol letter, type the displayed name, and revisit the same distinction on another run.
From the first input to a completed round
The current name stays visible beside the picture, so you can read rather than identify an unlabelled object. Look at the complete spelling of hydrogen and check your keyboard before typing. The first input starts the timer; a matching display name or registered alternative advances automatically without Enter.
Edit unfinished text directly in the field. Pressing Enter with an incorrect nonempty answer adds one error and clears that attempt. The result does not count every deleted or replaced letter as a separate error. When a new name appears, read its picture and words instead of repeating the previous answer.
Displayed names and registered alternatives
The complete name displayed in the current language is the most reliable answer. After each arrow below is an example actually accepted for that particular entry. Alternatives vary by name and language: a shortened form working for one prompt does not create a shortening rule for the rest of the set.
Matching normalizes case, spaces and supported punctuation. Latin accents may be omitted, and German ß can be entered as ss. Meaningful words and numbers still need to match. To practise another language, change the page language first and use that page's labels or registered answers instead of assuming an arbitrary translation will work.
- aluminium → aluminum
- sulfur → sulphur
- caesium → cesium
Choose a small goal for your second round
Your next goal can be more specific than speed. Choose a name that made you pause, such as neodymium, read it in full, and retry the same set in the same language. Note whether you used full names or alternatives and whether you changed devices so that the comparison has useful context.
After a completed round, review time, keystrokes per minute, errors and the best record. Best times are stored in this browser separately by topic, set and language. Results are not combined across devices through an account; keep your own dated note of words you reread if you want a longer study record.
Understand what the illustrations cover
Names were checked on 2026-10-31 against the IUPAC 2022-05-04 table and the Korean Chemical Society table. Registered conventional Korean names also work. Family colors are project choices, not claims about properties. Digits after ambiguous Chinese pinyin are atomic-number separators.
Use these boundaries to treat the illustrations as aids for reading terminology. A correctly typed name records a vocabulary task, not practical competence in identifying or handling the real subject. When you return to a book or class, check that source's definitions and scope to connect the words with their original context.
Continue with another topic or language
The two topics below offer related vocabulary for another reading session. Keep the familiar input routine while changing the subject. Lists differ in length and word size, so compare completion times between attempts with the same conditions rather than across unrelated games.
This guide and its game are available in Korean, English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish and German. Change the language menu to read the instructions and names in that language. The game links below retain your current language choice.