Question

A symbol is a short form used for representing an ______

Answer 1

Hint: We know that the chemical symbols are defined as a notation of one or two letters that represents chemical functional groups, elements and compounds. These are the abbreviations that are used in chemistry.

Complete answer:
The atomic number is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus and that is equal to the electrons because the whole compound or element has to be zero in charge. While the mass number is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons each being one atomic mass unit. Nucleus is what provides mass to an element. The periodic table is basically a table used to define and accommodate all the elements existing in this world, naturally or unnaturally. This periodic table is further divided into periods and groups.
There are seven periods and eighteen groups. Period is the horizontal row on the periodic table. As we go along the group starting from the first period, we observe that the number of electrons increases. An element symbol is a one or two letter abbreviation used to represent the name of an element. When a symbol has two letters in it, then the first letter is always a capital letter, while the second letter is a lowercase letter. Chemical symbols refer to chemical elements only and it is not necessary that they should refer to atoms of that element, but also to ions. Chemical formulas refer to compounds and the ratios in which they are made up using different chemical elements. In the periodic table, each element is represented by its element symbol and atomic number. Most of the elements are represented by the first letter or first two letters but there are some exceptions.
Therefore, a symbol is a short form used for representing an element.

Note:
Remember that the chemical symbols are used for the representation of any functional group, chemical elements, and compounds. It is used to identify the elements easily. It standardized the language of chemistry. They are not only just represented by letters but also some additional details are added in subscript and superscript for oxidation states, isotopes and isobars.