The periodic table is the mortal enemy of every school kid; unless you are some kind of a whiz kid memory genius. But still every kid has to attempt learning it to some extent. As kids it is not enough to understand the importance of the periodic table in order to be able to learn it with ease. It is a struggle for most kids no matter how hard they try. Luckily there are certain techniques that can make it much easier to learn the complete periodic table. By using these techniques and tips you can quickly learn the periodic table and once you learn it you’ll never forget it. You’ll be able to every element of the periodic table whenever you need it. So here are the 5 easiest ways to learn the periodic table quickly.
This is an old method and maybe you won’t like it but there’s a reason why it is still used. It has been tried and tested by millions of people to memorize complex things. The idea is to copy the periodic table on a sheet of paper with a pen. Draw the table and copy each element’s name, symbol and atomic weight. Do it again and again till you start remembering where some of the elements go. It is hard work no doubt but the results are great as you may never forget an element ever again.
If you don’t like the old tried and tested method then you can go for the modern techniques of memorization. This technique involves using visual cues and making associations in your mind to remember things. Start with choosing any object in your house, let it be associated with an element that you find hard to memorize. Visualize that object as that element. It doesn’t even have to be something meaningful. You just have to create a visual memory that relates a certain object with a certain element. Then next time you want to recall that element you just go to the object that you have chosen. As soon as you remember that object, you’ll also remember all information about that element.
Another way of remembering the periodic table is to break it down into different categories. Make separate lists according to the categories. For example in one category you can put all the elements that have single letter for their symbols. In another you can put all the elements that have a symbol that is not a short form of its name like Gold, Au. Another list can be of all the elements that are most commonly used by us. Make a list of all the elements that are very rare and precious. In such way you end up with a few short lists of separate elements. It is easy to remember these short lists. If an element ends up in two lists it will be that much easier to remember it. Once you remember all the elements and their symbols you can start learning the order in which they fill up the periodic table and this time you’ll find it much easier.
One way that most students seem to use is to make up sentences from the letters of the symbols of the elements. These sentences don’t have to make sense as long as they are funny or rhyme so that you can easily remember them. For example you can learn the whole of the 2nd row of the periodic table by remembering the sentence; Little Bella Butt Can Not Open For Neal. Making such funny sentences for each row will help you quickly memorize the complete periodic table. Instead of copying someone else’s sentences make up your own so that you can remember them easily. It is also a lot of fun to come up with such sentences.
If all else fails there is a simple way to learn the periodic table. It is by learning the periodic table song. There are many renditions of this song available on the internet. You might remember that Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliff can recite the complete periodic table song by heart. You’ll find it is much easier a lot more fun to remember the lyrics of a song even if they don’t make much sense. People remember song lyrics of languages they don’t even speak. You too can learn the periodic table in this way. Just remember to not start singing the song out loud while trying to remember an element during the exams!