Major System
You learned about the Major System from Jonas in the Major System video. In this activity, you will use the Major System mnemonics to help you memorise the Periodic table.
To get started, memorise the following numbers with their corresponding sounds
| Number | Sound | Mnemonic |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | s, z, soft c | Z is the first letter of zero. |
| 1 | t, d | T and D each have only one vertical stroke. |
| 2 | n | N has two vertical strokes. |
| 3 | m | M has three vertical strokes. |
| 4 | r | R is the last letter of four. |
| 5 | l | L is the roman numeral for 50. |
| 6 | sh, soft ch, j, soft g, zh | A cursive J has a loop like a mirrored 6. G (as in gem) looks like a rotated 6. |
| 7 | k, hard c, hard g, hard ch, q, qu | K looks like two small 7s on their side. |
| 8 | f, v | A cursive F looks like the letter 8. |
| 9 | p, b | P is a mirrored 9. B is a rotated 9. |
| Unassigned | Vowels, W, H, Y and silent letters | These can all be used anywhere without changing the value. |
In this exercise, the names and numbers of the elements in the Periodic Table can be memorised by using the mnemonics or by creating your own. The mnemonics should be created by incorporating the letters from the Major System and include something to do with the name of the element. For example, Hydrogen, the first element, uses the mnemonic "explosive hydrogen dough". This incorporates the number 1 corresponding to "d" in the Major System, and is explosive because of the hydrogen in it.