A mnemonic is a memory aid used to improve long-term memory and make the process of consolidation easier. Many chemistry aspects, rules, names of compounds, sequences of elements, their reactivity, etc., can be easily and efficiently memorized with the help of mnemonics. This article contains the list of certain mnemonics in chemistry.
Order in which orbitals are arranged by increasing energy according to the Madelung rule. Each diagonal red arrow corresponds to a different value of n + l.
H He Li Be B C N O F Ne Na (Sodium) Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
Happy Henry Likes Beans Brownies and Chocolate Nuts Over Friday's News.
Happy Harry Listens B B C Network Over France Nevertheless Nothing More Arose So Peter Stopped Cleaning Airgun K Ca.[3] (also Happy Henry Listens B B C Network Over France Nevertheless Nothing More Arose So Peter Stopped Cleaning Airgun K Ca.)
Ha. Healthy Little Beggar Boys Catching Newts Or Fish.[4]
Hi, Here Little Beatniks Brandish Countless Number Of Flick kNives.[5]Nagging Maggie Always Sighs, "Please Stop Clowning Around."[6] (adapted)
Hi Helium. Little Berries Borrow Carbs, NOFight Needed.
Hi Hello! Lion Beneath the Burning Car Needs OxygenFor New life.
Native Magpies Always Sit Peacefully Searching Clear Areas.[7]
Naval Magistrates Always Signal Per Siren, Claiming Adequacy.[8]
Naughty Margaret Always Sighs, "Please Stop Clowning Around."[6]
Nellie's Naughty Magpie Always Sings Pop Songs Clearly After Killing Cathy.[6]
Shoddy Magician Aligned Six Phones Successfully, Classic Art!
All SiliconPorts. Superman Clean Argon's K-Capture.[9]
Period 4
K (Potassium) Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr
Kindly Cannibals Scare Timid Visitors, 'n' Cruelly Menace Female Communist Nitwits Cuddling Zany Gabbling Geese Astride Several Brutal Kangaroos.[8]
In reverse order: Kry Brother! SeAs of Germany and Gaul sink copper ships Nice and Cold From Manx to Crimea, Vancouver to Timor, and Scandinavia to the California Koast.[10]
Last Century Presented New Democratic Prime Minister. European Government Decided To Ban DirtyHotels Entirely To Make Yellow Buildings Luxurious.
Ladies Can't Put Needles Properly in Slot-machines. Every Girl Tries Daily, However, Every Time You'd Lose.[12]
Languid Centaurs Praise Ned's Promise of Small European Garden Tubs; Dinosaurs Hobble Erratically Thrumming Yellow Lutes.[13]
Lately, Central ParkNeeded Primroses.Small Entire Golden TasselsDyeing the Hollow Earth,Tempting Your Love.
Actinides
(Ac) Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr
Radiant Acting Thoroughly Protects yoUr Nepotism, Plutocratic America Cures-me & Berkeley California, Einstein Firmly Mended Noble Lawreins.[14]
Ace Thor Protects Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Army Cured Bark. In California Einstein and Fermi Made Noble Laws.[11]
Actually Thor Protects Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Army Cured Bark. In California Einstein and Fermi Made Noble Laws.
56 elements in sequence
H He Li Be B C N O F Ne Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe Cs Ba
Here Lies Benjamin Bones. Cry Not Oh Friend Needlessly. Nature Magnifies All Simple People Sometimes Clowns And Kings Can Scream Till Vast Crowds Moan. Fear Conquers Neither Courageous Zealous Gallant Gents. AsSeen Brown Karate Robes Strip Yobs. Zurich Noble Mortals Track Ruddy Rhubarb. PaidSilverCandid Indian Sons Sobbing Tears In Xcess Cease Bawling.[9]
An atom (or ion) whose oxidation number increases in a redox reaction is said to be oxidized (and is called a reducing agent). It is accomplished by loss of one or more electrons. The atom whose oxidation number decreases gains (receives) one or more electrons and is said to be reduced. This relation can be remembered by the following mnemonics.
Leo says Ger! or Leo the lion, Ger! can be used to represent Loss of electron is oxidation; Gain of electron is reduction.[20][21]
Oil Rig: Oxidation is loss; Reduction is gain (of electrons).[22]
Cations and anions
Cations are positively (+) charged ions while anions are negatively (−) charged. This can be remembered with the help of the following mnemonics.
At the ANode, Oxidation Involves Loss of electrons.
Reduction Involves Gaining electrons at the CAThode.[26]
LOAN - Left Anode Oxidation Negative.
In written representation of galvanic cell, anode is written on the left. It is the electrode where oxidation takes place. It is the negative electrode. Obviously, the opposite properties (Right/Cathode/Reduction/Positive) are found on the cathode. Hence, by remembering LOAN mnemonic, we can arrive at the corresponding properties for the cathode.
LEO the lion says GER [grr]:
"Loss of Electrons, Oxidation; Gain of Electrons, Reduction".[27]
Electrodes
An electrode in which oxidation takes place is called an anode while in that which reduction takes place is called cathode. This applies for both electrolytic and electrochemical cells, though the charge on them reverses. The red cat and an ox mnemonics are useful to remember the same.
Hydrogen forms hydrogen bonds with three elements which are nitrogen (N), oxygen (O) and fluorine (F). The names of these elements can be remembered by the following mnemonic.
Nick Brit the Camel ate an Inky Clam with Crêpes for Supper in Phoenix.
Number of consonants denotes number of oxygen atoms. Number of vowels denotes negative charge quantity. Inclusion of the word "ate" signifies that each ends with the letters a-t-e. To use this for the -ite ions, simply subtract one oxygen but keep the charge the same.
Organic chemistry
Prefixes for naming carbon chains
The prefixes for naming carbon chains containing one to four carbons. For chains containing five or more carbons, the inorganic prefixes (pent, hex, etc.) are used.
These Ten Valuable Acids Have Long Preserved Life In Men
MATT HILL, VP
LIFT HIM KIW(V)I
TV FILM HW(R)K.
FM TK HW RIVL
Any Help In Learning These Little Molecules Proves Truly Valuable.[40] This method begins with the two amino acids that need some qualifications as to their requirements.
Krebs cycle
To remember Krebs cycle (citric acid cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle);
^Zumdahl, Steven S. and Zumdahl, Susan A. (2000), Chemistry, Houghton Mifflin, 5th ed., p. 169 ISBN0-395-98583-8
^Mrs Jacqueline Hilary Briggs; Rex M Heyworth. Lcg Ol Chemistry. Pearson Education South Asia. pp. 142–. ISBN978-981-06-0008-2. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
