Question

which statement accurately describes the chemical symbol of an element?
the chemical symbol is always a single letter.
the chemical symbol always starts with the same letter as the name of the element.
the chemical symbol always begins with a capital letter.
the chemical symbol can be shared by more than one element.

Explanation:

• The chemical symbol of an element can be one or two letters. For example, \(H\) (hydrogen) is one - letter, and \(Na\) (sodium) is two - letter. So, the statement "The chemical symbol is always a single letter" is incorrect.
• Some chemical symbols do not start with the same letter as the English name of the element. For example, sodium (\(Na\)) comes from its Latin name \(natrium\). So, the statement "The chemical symbol always starts with the same letter as the name of the element" is incorrect.
• According to the rules of writing chemical symbols, if the symbol has one letter, it is capitalized. If it has two letters, the first letter is capitalized and the second is lowercase. So, the chemical symbol always begins with a capital letter.
• Each element has a unique chemical symbol. So, the statement "The chemical symbol can be shared by more than one element" is incorrect.

Answer:

The chemical symbol always begins with a capital letter.