Croft Press / David / Research / Education

Periodic Table Chant

David Wallace Croft

2016 Oct 29 Sat

I am going to be gradually revising and adding to this chant over time. Please feel free to copy and to create your own version of this chant under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. I recommend practicing the chant while in the shower.

The mnemonic patterns in the chant include the following:

• the atomic number precedes and follows the element name so that the number keys the recall of the name and vice versa

• the second line of each verse rhymes with the number in the first line

• the second line tells you something about the element

• the second line of one element sometimes relates to the second line of the next element

• the verses for the noble gases can be sung deeper and slower

The following is an annotated version of the chant highlighting the mnemonic patterns. Relevant hyperlinks to Wikipedia are included.

1 Hydrogen 1,
Fun in the Sun
The Sun is three-quarters Hydrogen.

2 Helium 2,
Big balloons of blue
Party balloons are filled with this lighter-than-air gas.

3 Lithium 3,
Recharge your battery
Laptop computers, mobile phones, and electric cars use rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries. "Recharge your batteries" is a familiar idiom.

4 Beryllium 4,
Golf club inner core
Some golf clubs contain Beryllium copper.

5 Boron 5,
Clothing takes a dive
The Boron compound Borax is used as a laundry detergent.

6 Carbon 6,
Life does intermix
All organic life is based on carbon compounds.

7 Nitrogen 7,
The air we breathe from heaven
Air is 78% Nitrogen.

8 Oxygen 8,
The gas we respirate
Air is 21% Oxygen.

9 Flourine 9,
It helps our teeth to shine
Toothpaste contains the Flourine anion Flouride.

10 Neon 10,
The signs are bright again
A reference to neon signs. Associates with the word "shine" in the previous verse.

11 Sodium 11,
Salt of Earth not heaven
Sodium chloride is table salt. "Salt of the Earth" is a Biblical reference. Associates with the previous use of the word "heaven" for element 7.

12 Magnesium 12,
It lights our campfires swell
Campers frequently use Magnesium firestarters.

13 Aluminum 13,
Gives soda cans their sheen
Soda cans are made of the metal Aluminum. "Metallic sheen" is a common phrase.

14 Silicon 14,
Glass and thinking machine
Silicon is used in glass and computer chips.

15 Phosphorus 15,
Grass and crops grow green
Phosphorus is used as a fertilizer. "Grass" rhymes with "Glass" in the previous verse.

16 Sulfur 16,
Not sweet it smells obscene
"Sweet 16" is a common expression. Sulfur smells like rotten eggs.

17 Chlorine 17,
The smell of swimming pool clean
Chlorine is used to disinfect swimming pools. It has a strong smell when too much chlorine is added to the pool. The word "smell" ties to "smells" in the previous verse.

18 Argon 18,
The king of doing nothing
Argon is a non-reactive noble gas.

19 Potassium 19,
Eat yellow bananas, not green
Bananas are a source of dietary potassium.

20 Calcium 20,
In bones and teeth aplenty
The body stores calcium in bones and teeth.

21 Scandium 21,
Bats and bikes are fun
The metal Scandium is used in some sports equipment such as baseball bats and bicycles.

22 Titanium 22,
Replaces parts inside of you
Titanium is a biocompatible metal which is used in dental implants and to replace joints.

23 Vanadium 23,
Hard steels tools with a guarantee
Vanadium is used to harden steel.

24 Chromium 24,
Stainless steel improves decor
Chromium prevents steel from corroding.

25 Manganese 25,
Caveman paintings come alive
Manganese dioxide pigments were used for cave paintings 30,000 years ago.

26 Iron 26,
To rusty nails a magnet sticks
Rust is hydrated iron oxide; iron is ferromagnetic. To relate this to the previous two verses, a rusty nail can hang a framed painting which would improve decor.

27 Cobalt 27,
Jet through bluest heaven
Cobalt is used in jet engine turbine blades and blue pigments.

28 Nickel 28,
Coins and armor plate
Nickel resists corrosion and increases toughness in metal alloys.

29 Copper 29,
Household power line
Copper is the conductor in electrical wire.

30 Zinc 30,
Brass bells and horns are sturdy
Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper used in musical instruments.