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Periodic table quiz

Names, symbols and where each element sits.

Players
Quiz
Level
Answer
Pace
Sources
  • Names and symbolsPubChem periodic table (National Library of Medicine), public domain, checked against Wikidata (CC0). Names use the IUPAC spellings: aluminium, caesium, sulfur.As of 21 October 2026
  • Groups and periodsThe IUPAC periodic table of the elements, groups 1 to 18. At Starter, groups use the GCSE numbers: 1 to 7, then 0 for the noble gases. The f-block is drawn as two rows of 15.As of 21 October 2026

Full credits are on the credits page.

How it works

Choose a quiz: Symbol to name, Name to symbol, Find it, or Group and period. Starter keeps to the elements most GCSE chemistry courses use, with groups numbered 1 to 7 and 0; Expert has all 118 elements and groups 1 to 18, as at A-level. Play on your own, pass the device round two to eight players or teams, or put the questions on one big screen and host. Missed elements come back in later rounds until they stick.

  1. Choose who is playing: Solo, Pass the device, or Host screen.
  2. Choose a quiz and a level. Starter is the GCSE set; Explorer adds elements up to barium; Expert is all 118.
  3. Answer by choosing from four, or by typing. Keys 1 to 4 choose, and Enter moves on after a miss.
  4. In Find it, tap the element on the table. On a phone, the first tap zooms in so you can pick the right cell.
  5. Hosting: press Reveal (or Space) when everyone has shouted, then tap who got it (or press 1 to 8).

Tips

  • Learn the first 20 elements in order first: most GCSE questions use them.
  • Symbols that do not match the English name come from older names: Na is sodium (natrium) and Fe is iron (ferrum).
  • At Starter, the groups use GCSE numbers. Group 7, the halogens, is group 17 on the full table.

FAQ

Why does the quiz say group 7 for chlorine but group 17 at Expert?
Both are right. GCSE periodic tables number the main groups 1 to 7 and 0. The full IUPAC table, used at A-level, numbers all 18 columns, so group 7 is group 17 and group 0 is group 18.
Which spellings does it use?
The IUPAC names that UK exams use: aluminium, caesium and sulfur. If you type aluminum, cesium or sulphur, they count too.
Why are lanthanum and actinium never asked about their group?
Chemists draw that part of the table in more than one way, so the quiz only asks about their period.
Where do the facts come from?
Names and symbols come from PubChem's periodic table (public domain), checked against Wikidata, with the IUPAC spellings. The sources and their dates are listed under the quiz.
Are scores saved?
Solo best scores and the elements to revisit are saved in this browser on this device. Party games keep no scores after you leave.