Science & Nature · 3
What is the only letter that does not appear on the periodic table of elements?
Answer
J
The letter 'J' is the only letter of the English alphabet that does not appear in any chemical element's symbol on the periodic table. This stems from historical conventions in element naming and the influence of Latin chemical nomenclature. When the periodic table was formalized in the late 1800s, element symbols were assigned based on scientific naming traditions. The absence of 'J' is a quirk of this historical process rather than any chemical principle. All other 25 letters of the alphabet appear at least once among the 118 element symbols.
💡 Did you know?
Out of 118 elements, not a single one has a 'J' in its symbol—this quirk has persisted for over a century.
Other options people guess
- Q
- X
- Z
Topics
- chemistry
- periodic-table
- trivia
Know your science & nature trivia?
Play a free Science & Nature quiz and see how many you get right — no signup needed to start.
More Science & Nature facts
Science & Nature
What element has the atomic number 1?
Hydrogen comprises about 75% of all atoms in the universe and is the fuel that powers the Sun through nuclear fusion.
Science & Nature
What is the pH of pure water at 25°C?
The pH scale (0-14) has 7 as neutral; below 7 is acidic (lemon juice ~2), above 7 is basic (bleach ~13).
Science & Nature
What is the second most abundant element in the human body by mass?
Carbon forms the backbone of every protein, carbohydrate, lipid, and nucleotide—making it essential to all known life.
Science & Nature
What is the name of the tough, flexible connective tissue that covers the ends of bones?
Your ears and nose are made of flexible hyaline cartilage that can bend and return to shape, unlike rigid bone.
Science & Nature
What is the collective term for organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis?
Producers form the foundation of nearly all ecosystems, supporting all herbivores, carnivores, and every other organism above them in food chains.
Science & Nature
What is the name of the gap between two neurons called?
A single neuron can have 1,000-10,000 synapses, and the human brain contains roughly 100 trillion synapses enabling consciousness and thought.