How To Memorize The First 20 Elements For CBSE Class 10

Mendeleev To Modern Periodic Table Tricks

First 20 Elements of the Periodic Table – Easy Mnemonics for Class 10

Why Is Memorizing the Periodic Table So Hard?

You’ve probably stared at the periodic table trying to cram the names, symbols, and atomic numbers of the first 20 elements. You tell yourself, "Okay, Hydrogen, Helium... Lithium... then what?!"

 Does it feel like the moment you learn them, you forget them five minutes later?

You’re not alone.

Many CBSE Class 10 students struggle to memorize the periodic table. It’s not just a list—it’s a foundation of chemistry. Without this basic recall, understanding topics like atomic structure, bonding, and chemical reactions becomes a real uphill battle.

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What Happens If You Don’t Learn These Elements Properly?

Here’s the thing. Chemistry in Class 10 is structured like a building. The first 20 elements are the bricks.

If you don’t remember:

• That Carbon is element 6 and forms 4 bonds...
• That Calcium (Ca) has atomic number 20 and is key in reactions with acids...
• Or that Oxygen (O) is element 8 and vital in combustion...

You end up wasting time in exams, second-guessing everything, and losing confidence in the subject.

And worse—this confusion doesn’t stop at school. In senior classes, entrance exams like NEET or JEE, or real-life fields like medicine, pharmacy, and engineering, all rely on strong periodic table knowledge.

So what’s the way out?

A Step-by-Step System to Learn the First 20 Elements—And Actually Remember Them

Let’s break it down into practical, achievable steps.

Step 1: Learn the First 20 Elements in Order

Atomic Number	Element	Symbol
1	Hydrogen	H
2	Helium	He
3	Lithium	Li
4	Beryllium	Be
5	Boron	B
6	Carbon	C
7	Nitrogen	N
8	Oxygen	O
9	Fluorine	F
10	Neon	Ne
11	Sodium	Na
12	Magnesium	Mg
13	Aluminium	Al
14	Silicon	Si
15	Phosphorus	P
16	Sulphur	S
17	Chlorine	Cl
18	Argon	Ar
19	Potassium	K
20	Calcium	Ca

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Step 2: Use a Funny Mnemonic Trick (Because Your Brain Loves Stories)

Mnemonics work because they connect abstract data to familiar patterns.

Let’s break the first 20 into smaller groups:

➤ 1–10:
Hi He Likes Beer But Could Not Offer Full Nine Sodas

• Hi = Hydrogen (1)
• He = Helium (2)
• Likes = Lithium (3)
• Beer = Beryllium (4)
• But = Boron (5)
• Could = Carbon (6)
• Not = Nitrogen (7)
• Offer = Oxygen (8)
• Full = Fluorine (9)
• Nine = Neon (10)

➤ 11–20:
Naughty Maggie Always Sings Perfect Songs Clearly Around Kind Cats

• Naughty = Sodium (11)
• Maggie = Magnesium (12)
• Always = Aluminium (13)
• Sings = Silicon (14)
• Perfect = Phosphorus (15)
• Songs = Sulphur (16)
• Clearly = Chlorine (17)
• Around = Argon (18)
• Kind = Potassium (19)
• Cats = Calcium (20)

Make it fun. Recite this like a rhyme or even record yourself saying it aloud. Repetition is key.

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Step 3: Use Flashcards

Make flashcards with:

• Front: Symbol (e.g. Na)
• Back: Element name and atomic number (e.g. Sodium – 11)

Apps like Anki or Quizlet work great. Or use physical index cards. Shuffle them. Test yourself daily. Within a week, you'll see improvement.

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Step 4: Use a Periodic Table Wall Poster or Wallpaper

Stick a periodic table near your study space. Make it your phone or laptop wallpaper.

Seeing it regularly creates passive recall. Your brain starts recognizing patterns—like how group 1 has Li, Na, K (3, 11, 19)—all alkali metals.

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Step 5: Use Visual Memory Tricks

Associate elements with real-life objects or situations:

• Hydrogen (H) – Think of a balloon filled with hydrogen.
• Calcium (Ca) – Found in milk (Calcium = strong bones).
• Sodium (Na) – Salt (NaCl).

The more senses you involve (sight, sound, meaning), the better you remember.

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Step 6: Quiz Yourself Regularly

Self-testing is better than re-reading.
Every few days, write down from memory:

• All 20 elements in order
• Their symbols
• Their atomic numbers

Then check where you went wrong. Practice those specific ones.

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Step 7: Group the Elements by Type

Let’s classify them a bit:

• Noble Gases (unreactive): Helium (2), Neon (10), Argon (18)
• Alkali Metals: Lithium (3), Sodium (11), Potassium (19)
• Alkaline Earth Metals: Beryllium (4), Magnesium (12), Calcium (20)
• Non-Metals: Hydrogen, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Phosphorus, Sulphur, Chlorine
• Metalloids: Boron, Silicon
• Post-transition Metal: Aluminium

Grouping helps long-term memory. It also prepares you for concept-based questions in board exams.

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Step 8: Teach a Friend or Family Member

Teaching is the best way to learn. If you can explain why Sodium has atomic number 11 and is placed in group 1, you’ve mastered it.

You can even create a fun quiz night with friends and keep score!

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Step 9: Link to Real Life

Did you know:

• Neon signs glow because of element 10: Neon.
• Potassium-rich bananas are good for your heart.
• Chlorine is used to disinfect water.

Once you connect abstract symbols to real-life uses, they stick in your head better.

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CASE STUDY: A Class 10 Toppers’ Trick

Riya, a CBSE Class 10 student who scored 99 in science, shared her method:

“I wrote the mnemonic on sticky notes and stuck them to my bathroom mirror. Each morning, I recited the line. By the end of the week, I knew the first 20 elements by heart. I used flashcards and made a silly game out of testing my brother too.”

Mastering the Periodic Table Is Possible—With the Right Tools

You don’t need to memorize the whole periodic table at once. Start with the first 20 elements. Use stories, visuals, rhymes, and flashcards. Test yourself. Have fun with it.

Because once you know these 20 elements inside out, everything else in chemistry becomes easier—bonding, reactions, equations.

So don’t stress. Stick to the plan. And remember:

Hi He Likes Beer But Could Not Offer Full Nine Sodas... Naughty Maggie Always Sings Perfect Songs Clearly Around Kind Cats!

If you want to practice this topic, you can take a quiz in Curious Corner for better practice.