Tag: Chemical naming

Over 60 different names for sugar can appear on food labels, making it challenging to identify them, but a key clue is the '-ose' suffix. This article will explore what ending of a word normally indicates a sugar, and provide the knowledge needed to decipher the carbohydrates listed in ingredients.

Many people are surprised to learn that natrium and sodium refer to the very same chemical element, denoted by the symbol Na. This linguistic variation stems from the element's rich history, involving ancient names and the contributions of early chemists who isolated and classified it.

In the early 19th century, chemists discovered that many naturally occurring substances like starch and wood were composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with the latter two elements present in the same ratio as water. This discovery led to the coining of a now-common term that reflects this unique chemical composition.