Every element in its place
The periodic table organises all the chemical ELEMENTs that make up the universe, and this word search gathers some favourites. You'll track down the lightest and most common — HYDROGEN, HELIUM, CARBON, OXYGEN and NITROGEN — the very building blocks of stars and living things.
Each puzzle pulls a fresh selection from the list, so the table changes every time you play — gentle on Easy, and a Hard-mode challenge once the diagonals and backwards words appear.
Metals, gases and more
The table is full of variety, and the words are here. There are the shiny metals — GOLD, SILVER, COPPER, IRON and ZINC — the reactive ones like SODIUM, LITHIUM, CALCIUM, POTASSIUM and MAGNESIUM, and the gases NEON, ARGON and HELIUM. We've hidden MERCURY and SULFUR too, plus the words ELEMENT, SYMBOL and REACTIVE that every chemist learns.
The most useful chart in science
The periodic table is one of the cleverest ideas in all of science. It was arranged by a Russian chemist, Dmitri Mendeleev, in 1869, who lined the ELEMENTs up so that those with similar behaviour fall into the same column — and he was so sure of the pattern that he left gaps for elements not yet discovered, then turned out to be right. Today it holds about 118 elements, each with its own one- or two-letter SYMBOL, like O for OXYGEN or Au for GOLD.
The layout tells you a lot at a glance. Metals like IRON, COPPER and ZINC sit on the left and middle, while gases such as OXYGEN, NEON and ARGON cluster on the right. Some elements are wildly REACTIVE — drop SODIUM or POTASSIUM in water and it fizzes and pops — while the 'noble gases' like HELIUM barely react at all. Just a handful of these elements, mainly CARBON, HYDROGEN, OXYGEN and NITROGEN, make up almost all of your body.
Great for a chemistry topic
It pairs perfectly with a lesson on elements and the periodic table — Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words. Play online, print a PDF pack, or use our Make Your Own tool to build a grid from your own list of elements.
Frequently asked questions
What's in the periodic table word search?
Chemical elements — hydrogen, helium, carbon and oxygen, metals like gold, silver and iron, and reactive ones like sodium and potassium. Each puzzle uses a fresh mix.
Which elements are included?
Common ones — HYDROGEN, HELIUM, CARBON and OXYGEN — shiny metals like GOLD, SILVER and IRON, and reactive ones like SODIUM and POTASSIUM.
Is it good for a chemistry lesson?
Great fit — pair it with a lesson on elements and the periodic table. Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words.