Periodic Table Memory Pegs

©John P. Pratt, all rights reserved
Icons drawn by David R. Pratt
16 September 1997
updated 2 Feb 2006 to show data better with mouse.

Each picture in this periodic table is designed to remind you of the element's name, atomic number, and abbreviation. Point to the element to see its name and number. Click on the element for more explanation and then "Back" to return to the table. There is also an explanation of how to use the pictures as memory pegs. You can also see the name and number of the element by pointing to it and reading the address in the status window at the bottom. At least memorize the first twenty! Each of those first 20 also has a unique color which can also be used for memorizing a list of twenty objects by associating a color with each. There is another chart with them shown in a new circular periodic table, but it doesn't have the feature of mousing over the elements.

1 Hydrogen (H): Hydrant [blue], 1-shaped   2 Helium (He): Helium Balloon [silver], 2nd place
 3 Lithium (Li): Lithium Battery [lilac], 3-volt  4 Beryllium (Be): Belt Buckle [pink], 4 beryls    5 Boron (B): Box of Borax [brown], 5 lbs.  6 Carbon (C): Charcoal Pencil [black], 6-sided  7 Nitrogen (N): Dynamite [red], 7-shaped  8 Oxygen (O): Life Preservers [white], 8-shaped  9 Fluorine (F): Fluoride Toothpaste [purple], 9-shaped  10 Neon (Ne): Neon Sign [orange], 10-shaped
11 Sodium (Na): Narrow Soda Crackers [yellow], 11-shaped  12 Magnesium (Mg): Mug [green], 12 oz.  13 Aluminum (Al): Aluminum Ladder [turquoise], unlucky 13  14 Silicon (Si): Silicon Chip [tan], 14-pins  15 Phosphorus (P): Phosphorus Matches [red/white striped], book of 15  16 Sulfur (S): Sulfuric Acid [pale yellow], 16 oz.  17 Chlorine (Cl): Clorox [yellow-green], cleans 17 ways  18 Argon (Ar): Argon-filled Fluorescent Lights [sky blue], 18 watt
19 Potassium (K): Kettle or Pot of ashes [gray], 19th Century  20 Calcium (Ca): Calcite Pearls [ivory], string of 20  21 Scandium (Sc): Scandal Page, age 21  22 Titanium (Ti): Titanic, 22 hundred passengers  23 Vanadium (V): Chev Van, 23-passenger  24 Chromium (Cr): Chrome-plated Creamer, 24 oz.  25 Manganese (Mn): Autumn Mangos, 25 of them  26 Iron (Fe): Ferris Wheel, 26 spokes  27 Cobalt: (Co) Cobblestone, 27 cu. in.  28 Nickel (Ni): Nickel, richer in '28 [see 29]  29 Copper (Cu): Penny, Currency in '29  30 Zinc (Zn): Zinc Sink, $30 brass faucet  31 Gallium (Ga): Galleon, 3 1-shaped masts  32 Germanium (Ge): German Beer, 32 oz.  33 Arsenic (As): A Skull, eyes look like 33  34 Selenium (Se): Sensitive Solar Cell, leaning 34 degrees  35 Bromine (Br): Broom, with 35 bristles  36 Krypton (Kr): Krypton Yardstick, 36 inches
37 Rubidium (Rb): Superb Ruby, 37-carats  38 Strontium (Sr), Israeli Strongbox, 38-lbs.  39 Yttrium (Y): A Tree, Y-shaped, '39 carved on it  40 Zirconium (Zr): Ezra's Zircon Ring, $40.  41 Niobium (Nb): Unbearable Onion, for one  42 Molybdenum (Mo): Molly's Denims, 42-inch waist  43 Technetium (Tc): Dutch Technician, 43-years old  44 Ruthenium (Ru): Ruth's hen, feet like 4,4  45 Rhodium (Rh): Rhode Island Road, 45 m.p.h.  46 Palladium (Pd): Top dog Palace, 46 towers  47 Silver (Ag): Agnes' silver dime, '47, A Good year  48 Cadmium (Cd): CD Caddy, holds 48 (4 dozen)  49 Indium (In): India Ink, $0.49  50 Tin (Sn): Tin Can, of 50 snails  51 Antimony (Sb): Ant Money, Small Bills of $5, $1  52 Tellurium (Te): 52-card deck, to tell your fortune  53 Iodine (I): Iodine Bottle, $0.53  54 Xenon (Xe): Xena on TV, channel 54
55 Cesium (Cs): Cesium Standard Clock, reads 5:05  56 Barium (Ba): Bad Berries, 5/6 of white berries are poisonous  57 Lanthanum (La): Lantern, 57 candle-power  72 Hafnium (Hf): Faithful half-dollar, 72 = Half a gross  73 Tantalum (Ta): Tan Tall Man, 7-foot 3-inch  74 Tungsten (W): Westinghouse light bulb, 74-watt  75 Rhenium (Re): Wren, 75 on a telephone wire  76 Osmium (Os): Ostrich, looks like 76  77 Iridium (Ir): Iridescent Rainbow, 7 colors  78 Platinum (Pt): Platinum Record, 78 r.p.m.  79 Gold (Au): Gold Coin, '79 A.U. (Almost Uncirculated)  80 Mercury (Hg): High Grade Thermometer, showing 80 degrees  81 Thallium (Tl): Tallow Candle for Castles, looks like A 1 (81)  82 Lead (Pb): Lead Plumbing, under cupboard, 82% lead  83 Bismuth (Bi): Pepto Bismol, Ate 3 teaspoons  84 Polonium (Po): Polo Sticks, 7 dozen (84)  85 Astatine (At): A tall Aster, looks like 85  86 Radon (Rn): Radar Warning, 86 miles away
87 Francium (Fr): Eiffel Tower, for French Revolution in '87  88 Radium (Ra): Radio on FM 88 playing piano music (88 keys)  89 Actinium (Ac): Actor, who won 89 oscars  104 Rutherfordium (Rf): Ruth's perfect Ford, number 1-0-Ford                            
 
 58 Cerium (Ce): Cereal Bowl, 58 nutrients  59 Praseodymium (Pr) Praying Mantis, eats 59 bugs  60 Neodymium (Nd): No Dim Light Sign, 60 degree angles  61 Promethium (Pm): Prominent Fire, after 6:10 p.m., looks like 61  62 Samarium (Sm): Small Samurai sword, 62 generations  63 Europium (Eu): European Rope, 63 feet long  64 Gadolinium (Gd): Magdalene's Cattle, 64-square checkerboard pattern  65 Terbium (Tb): Bright Blue Turban, 65 inches long  66 Dysprosium (Dy): Dandy Disposal, 6.6 seconds  67 Holmium (Ho): Home, 6 or 7 rooms  68 Erbium (Er): Herb, looks like 68  69 Thulium (Tm): Christmas Tulip, 69 kinds  70 Ytterbium (Yb): Litter-bag, showing ladybug with 70 spots  71 Lutetium (Lu): Lute, 7 strings on 1 lute  
 90 Thorium (Th): Thorn, at 90 degree angle  91 Protactinium (Pa): Paper Protractor, reading 91 degrees  92 Uranium (Ur): Uranium A-bomb, looks like 92  93 Neptunium (Np): Neptunian Pitchfork, 93 Neptune after 92 Uranus  94 Plutonium (Pu): Pluto the Pup, 94 in ears, after Neptune  95 Americium (am): American Flag, costs $95  96 Curium (Cm): Acme curtains, 8 feet tall (96 inches)  97 Berkelium (Bk): Rib knit Beret, '97 style  98 Californium (Cf): Cauliflower, looks like 98  99 Einsteinium (Ei): Einstein's esoteric earrings, look like 99  100 Fermium (Fm): Fur Mink, 100% real fur  101 Mendelevium (Md): Mental M.D., took Psychology 101  102 Nobelium (No): No Bell, 1 sign in 2 parts (102)  103 Lawrencium (Lr): Laurel Wreath, of 103 bulrush leaves  

Atomic Numbers 1-20 21-40 41-60 61-80 81-104
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