According to Dalton, which of the following represents the Phosphorus element?

The correct answer is c.

Key Points

• John Dalton, in his atomic theory, proposed a system of symbols to represent various chemical elements.
• He used simple shapes and patterns, often circles, to illustrate atoms of different elements.
• His system was one of the earliest attempts to represent elements and compounds visually, although it was later replaced by modern chemical symbols.
• The symbol for Phosphorus was a circle divided into three sections or parts, similar to the peace symbol, as shown in option C in the image.
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• The circle with lines representing a division was how Dalton chose to represent the atomic structure of phosphorus.
• This design aligns with Dalton’s early visual method of distinguishing between different atoms, with each shape or pattern corresponding to a particular element.

Additional Information

• Chemical symbols are the abbreviations used in chemistry for chemical elements, functional groups, and chemical compounds.
• Element symbols for chemical elements normally consist of one or two letters from the Latin alphabet and are written with the first letter capitalised.
• A chemical symbol is a one- or two-letter designation of an element.
• A chemical symbol is a one- or two-letter designation of an element.
• Some examples of chemical symbols are O for oxygen, Zn for zinc, H for hydrogen, and Fe for iron. 
• The first letter of a symbol is always capitalized. If the symbol contains two letters, the second letter is lowercase.