CHEMISTRY MNEMONICS

Learning Chemistry can often be tough especially for beginners. We have

collected a list of chemistry Mnemonics to help you with learning
Chemistry. Remember you can develop your own Chemistry
Mnemonics or modify the ones we have provided to help you better learn
Chemistry.
Chemistry is often a very difficult subject for many of us. It is not easy for
all of us to comprehend the difficult topics and trends in chemistry.
Chemistry Mnemonics tends to make these complex topics easier by
providing different mnemonics to understand and remember difficult
chemistry concepts.
Remember you can develop your own Chemistry Mnemonics or modify
the ones we have provided to help you better learn Chemistry. Mnemonics
are meant to help you remember long term and not just memorize for a
test and forget about it. If you take the time to practice these mnemonics,
they will help you build strong fundamentals of chemistry and build a
lifetime understanding of some of the most important concepts of
Chemistry.

ACIDS
Always remember!
Care must be take while diluting an acid. One should never add water to
acid, as it will make the acid to splash out due to the excess heat

produced and cause severe chemical burns. Rather, the acid should be
added to water, slowly and with constant stirring, for diluting an acid. This
can be remembered with the following mnemonics.

Always do things as you oughta

Add the acid to the water

If you think your lifes too placid
Add the water to the acid

Acid to Water; All is Well.

Water to Acid; What an Accident! [1]

CATIONS AND ANIONS

Cations are positively (+) charged ions while anions are negatively (-)
charged. This can be remembered with the help of the following
mnemonics.

Cats have paws Cations are pawsitive.

Ca+ion: The letter t in cation looks like a + (plus) sign.

An anion is a negative ion. (Anegativeion Anion)

Kathy is Positive , Annie is Negative( if you have friends with names

similar to these, who are positive and negative)

REDOX REACTIONS

A redox reaction is a chemical reaction in which there is a change in

oxidation state of atoms participating in the reaction.

Ions
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 isreduction.

Oil Rig: Oxidation is loss; Reduction is gain (of electrons).

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.

Red cat: Reduction at cathode

An ox: Anode for oxidation

The words oxidation and anode, both begin with vovels.

Also, both reduction and cathode begin with consonants.

ATE IONS
Sulfate Phosphate Carbonate Chlorate Bromate Iodate Nitrate

Super Popeye Constantly Clubbed Brutus In Nevada[10]

Nitrate Bromate Carbonate Iodate Chlorate Chromate Sulfate Phosphate

Nick Brit the Camel ate an Inky Clam with Creams for Supper
in Phoenix

Number of consonants denotes number of oxygens. Number of vowels

denotes negative charge quantity.

ELECTRONEGATIVITY
Fluorine >; Oxygen >; Nitrogen >; Clorine >; Bromine >; Iodine >;
Sulphur >; Carbon >; HydrogenPhosphorous

Pronounce: FONClBrISCHP

Flaming Oxygen Nice Clear Bright I Suspect Canned Hydrogen

ELECTROCHEMICAL SERIES
Potassium >; Calcium >; Sodium >; Magnesium >; Aluminium >; Zinc
>; Iron >; Tin >; Lead >; Hydrogen >;Copper >; Silver >; Gold

Paddy Could Still Marry A Zulu In The Lovely Honolulu Causing Man
y Strange Gazes.

Please Stop Calling Me A Crazy Zombie If That Large Hippo Cant S

wim, Glug, glug.

ACTIVITY SERIES
K >; Na >;Mg >; Al >;Zn >; Cr >; Fe >; Pd >; H >; Cu >; Au.

Kangaroos Naturally Muck About

in Zoos For Purple Hippos Chasing Aardvarks

Kattys Naughty Cat Mingled with Alice

and Zarina; Fearlessly Plundering Her Cupboard of Silver.

Potassium >; Sodium >; Calcium >; Magnesium >; Aluminum >; Zinc
>; Iron >; Tin >; Lead >; Hydrogen >;Copper >; Mercury >; Silver.

Popular Scientists Can Make A

Zoo In The Low Humid Country More Satisfactorily.

DIATOMIC MOLECULES
Molecules exhibiting diatomic structures can be remembered through the
following mnemonics.
(Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Fluorine, Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine)

I Have No Bright Or Clever Friends

Have No Fear Of Ice Cold Beer

Help Our Needy Class Find Brains Immediately

BrINClHOF: say Brinkelhof

I Bring Clay For Our New House

Have No Fear Of Cute, Innocent Baby twins !

Imagine all of the diatomic elements highlighted on the periodic

table. They should make a seven shape starting with atom
number 7. And there is a total of 7 (including hydrogen).

HYDROGEN BONDS
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.

Hydrogen is FON! (fun)

ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
In the order of increasing frequency or decreasing wavelength of
electromagnetic waves
Radio waves, Microwavess, Infrared, Visible light, Ultraviolet, XRays, Gamma Rays

Ronald McDonald Invented Very Unusual & eXcellent Gherkins

In the order of increasing wave length

Good Xylophones Use Very Interesting Musical Rhythms

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Nomenclature

Carboxylic acids
Common names of homogeneous aliphatic carboxylic acids,
Formic, Acetic, Propionic, Butyric, Valeric, Caproic

Frogs Are Polite, Being Very Courteous

Dicarboxylic acids
The sequence of dicarboxylic acids can be remembered with following
mnemonics.
Oxalic, Malonic, Succinic, Glutaric, Adipic, Pimelic, Suberic, Azelaic, Seba
cic

Oh My Such, Good Apples[22]

Oh My Stars, Green Apples

Oh My, Such Good Apple Pi.e., Sweet As Sugar

Aromatic compounds
m-directing groups
Quaternary aminoEsterSulfonic acidNitroCarbonylCarboxylCyano
(-NR3+)(-COOR)(-SO3H)(-NO2)(-CHO)(-COOH)(-CN)

Queen Elizabeth Seconds Navy Commands, Controls, Communicate

s[24]

o,p-directing groups

AlkylHalogenAlkoxylAminoHydroxylAmidePhenyl
(R)(X)(OR)(-NH 2-NHR-NR2)(OH)(NHCOR(C 6H5)

AHA AHA P

Note: -NH2,-NHR and NR2 are para directing groups but not -NR3+

ATOMIC ORBITAL
Sequence of orbitals
Further information: Spectroscopic_notation#Mnemonic
spdfghik

Sober Physicists Dont Find Giraffes Hiding In Kitchens

Note: After the k shell, they follow alphabetical order (skipping p as it

came earlier) [1]

Aufbau principle
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10
The order of sequence of atomic orbitals (according to Madelung rule or
Klechkowski rule) can be remembered by using the following visual
mnemonics

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.

Another version of the visual mnemonic for the Madelung rule

MOHS SCALE OF MINERAL HARDNESS

To remember the Mohs hardness of minerals
Talc(1)Gypsum(2)Calcite(3)Fluorite(4)Apatite(5)Orthoclase(6)Quartz(7)Top
az(8)Corundum(9)Diamond(10)
Tall Gene Calls Florence At Our Quarters To Correct Dumbness. [1]

PERIODIC TABLE
Periods
Periods 1, 2 and 3
H He Li Be B C N O F Ne Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar K Ca

Little Ben Became Charlies Number One Fighting Nemesis.

Native Magpies Always Sit Peacefully Searching Clear Areas.[25]

Happy Henry Likes Beer But Could Not Obtain Four Nuts.

Naughty Magpies Always Sing Perfect Songs Clawing Ants[26]

Here He Lies Beneath Bed Clothes, Nothing On, Feeling Nervous.

Naughty Margaret Always Sighs, Please Stop Clowning Around.[27]

Hi Hello Little Beryll Brown Cracking Nuts On Friday .

Nellies Naughty Magpie Always Sings Pop Songs Clearly

After Killing Cathy[27]

Hi! He
Lies Because Boron CanNot Oxidize Fluorine. Necromantic Nato Mg
(abbv. for make good)

All Silicon Ports. Superman Clean Argons K-Capture.[28]

Happy Harry Listens B B C

Network Over France Nevertheless Nothing More Arose So Peter St
opped CleaningAirgun K Ca.[29]

Harry Helped Little Benny Balmer Carry Neat Oranges From Neptu
nes Natural Menagerie Always SingingPolite SonnetsClearly Arf Ke
y Casually.

Ha. Healthy Little Beggar Boys Catching Newts Or Fish[30]

Hell, Here Little Beatniks Brandish Countless Number Of Flick

kNives.[31]

Period 4
K (Potassium) Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr

PoKey Captain Scans Tight Virgin Crew Members Fer Cold Night Cu
ddles. Zany Gray Germs Are Sold ByKremlin.

In reverse order: Kry Brother! SeAs of Germany and Gaul sink

copper ships Nice and Cold From Manx toCrimea, Vancouver
toTimor, and Scandinavia to the CaliforniaKoast.[32]

Groups

Group 1, The alkali metals

H Li Na K Rb Cs Fr

Highly Nasty Kids Rub Cats Fur[p 1]

Group 2, The alkaline earth metals

Be Mg Ca Sr Ba Ra

Bearded Muggers Came Straight Back Rapidly.

Beer Mugs Can Serve Bar Rats.[p 1]

Group 13
B Al Ga In Tl

Boring Aluminum Galleys Indigestible Tally-list[33]

Bears Always Give Indians Trouble[p 1]

Group 14
C Si Ge Sn(tin) Pb(lead)

Can Silly Germans Snatch Lead[p 1]

Group 15 (pnicogens)
N P As Sb Bi

New Popes Assign Subordinate Bishops.[p 1]

Group 16 (chalcogens)

O S Se Te Po

Oversized Sailors Sell and Tell about Polo cologne

Old TSangpo Seem Terribly Polluted.[p 1]

Group 17, The halogens

F Cl Br I At

Fleeing Chlorine-layers & Bromine, Id Astonish[33]

Fairy Clowns Broil Innocent Ants.[p 1]

Group 18, Noble gases

He Ne Ar Kr Xe Rn

Hero Needs Arguable Kryptic Xes. Right-on.[33]

He Never Arrived; Karen eXited with Ron.[p 1]

Transition metals
First
Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn

Scary Tiny Vicious Creatures Mean Females Come Nightly

to Club Z.[p 1]

Scabby Tim Violates Crummy, Mangy, Ferrets, Cows

and Nice Cute Zebras[19]

Second

Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd

Yes Sir, Nob. Most Technicians Rub Rods Pale Silver Cadillac

Third
La Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg

Larrys Half Taken, Wendy Reached Out Her Plate Audibly, Helga

Lanthanides&Actinides
Lanthanides
(La) Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu

Laand Ceremonies: Presiding Neo-dimwits Promise Some-mere

European Goddole, Turbid Dysproteinemia HolesErban
(urban) Tool-mans Year-tear-book Lucidly.

Little Cute People Need Plenty Sex Every Given Time Despite Havin
g Enough Through Young Love
andCurrently Parties NeverProvide Sexy English Girls That Drink He
avily,Even Though You Look.

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 FirmlyMended Noble Lawreins.[33]

Three Planets: Uranus, Neptune,

and Pluto. Amy Cured Berkeley, California. Einstein
and Fermi Made NobleLaws.

Miscellaneous
First 56
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 Courag
eous Zealous
Gallant Gents. As
Seen Brown Karate Robes Strip Yobs. Zurich Noble Mortals Track Ruddy
Rhubarb. Paid SilverCandid
Indian Sons Sobbing Tears In Xcess Cease Bawling

ABUNDANCE OF ELEMENTS
On Earths crust
Oxygen >; Silicon >; Aluminum >; Iron(Fe) >; Calcium >; Magnesium >;
Sodium(Na) >; Potassium(K)
(The rest makes only 1%)

Oh see Al Fee Cah Mig NacK.

BIOCHEMISTRY
Krebs Cycle
To remember Krebs Cycle (Citric acid cycle, Tricarboxylic acid cycle)
CitrateAconitateIsocitrateOxalosuccinateKetoglutarateSuccinateFumarateMalateOxaloacetate

Caesars Armies Invaded Other Kingdoms Searching For Many Oran

ges.

Elements necessary for agriculture

The elements necessary for agriculture which are
Carbon, Hydrogen, Calcium, iron (Fe), Magnesium, Manganese,
copper(Cu), Molybdenum, Chlorine, Boron

C(see) Hopkins CaFe, Mighty-good Man, Cu(see your) Money, hope

they are Closed or out of Business.[i 4]

For remembering macronutrients which are,

Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Nitrogen, Sulfur, Cal
cium, iron(Fe), and Magnesium.

C. HOPKiNS CaFe Mg (C. Hopkins coffee mug)

Essential amino acid

Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine,

Tryptophan, Valine, Histidine, Asparagine, (Selenocysteine usually
omitted)

PVT TIM HaLLand TT HALL Very IMPortant.

LIFT HIM KIW(V)I

TV FILM HW(R)K.

Any Help In Learning These Little Molecules Proves Truly Valuable.T

his method begins with the two amino acids that need some
qualifications as to their requirements.

There as [a] fat man [that] hated vanilla icing, [but] loved Kit-Kats.

By-Bikul Koirala