Naming Compounds

Writing Formulas
and Equations

Naming Compounds
The chemical formula represents the composition of
each molecule.
In writing the chemical formula, in almost all cases
the element farthest to the left of the periodic table is
written first.

So for example the chemical formula of a compound

that contains one sulfur atom and six fluorine atoms
is SF6.
If the two elements are in the same period, the
symbol of the element of that is lower in the group
(i.e. heavier) is written first e.g. IF3.

Naming Ionic Compounds

Ionic compounds are combinations of positive
and negative ions.
In writing the chemical formula the positive ion is
written first, It is then followed by the name of the
negative ion.
Monatomic anions end in ide. Special endings
apply for polyatomic ions
Examples
NaCl Sodium chloride
BaF2 Barium Fluoride
ZnO Zinc Oxide

Names of Polyatomic Ions

with Oxygen
Polyatomic ions
usually contain
oxygen in addition
to another element.
Normally they have
a negative charge.
They end in either
"ate" or "ite"
depending on the
number of oxygen
atoms present.

ClO-

hypochlorite

ClO2ClO3-

chlorite
chlorate

ClO4-

perchlorate

NO2-

Nitrite

NO3-

Nitrate

PO33-

phosphite

PO43-

phosphate

SO32SO42-

sulfite
sulfate

Polyatomic Ion -- Exceptions

Most polyatomic ions contain oxygen
Their names end in ite or ate.
There are several exceptions
OHCNSCN-

hydroxide
cyanide
thiocyanate

Elements with Multiple Cations

1.
2.

3.
4.

When an element can form more than one cation a

Roman numeral is used to distinguish the oxidation
state of the compound.
Iron, Tin, Lead, Copper, and are common elements with
more than one cation.
Examples
PbSO4 = lead (II) sulfate
This compound is formed
from Pb2+ and SO42Pb(SO4)2 = lead (IV) sulfate This compound is formed
from Pb4+ and SO42Fe(OH)2 = iron (II) hydroxide This compound is
formed from Fe2+ and OHFe(OH)3 = iron (III) hydroxide This compound is
formed from Fe3+ and OH-

Examples of Ionic Compounds

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

NaCl
ZnF2
KOH
Ca(NO3)2
BaSO3
Al2(SO4) 3
Ca3(PO3)2
NH4Cl
(NH4)2CO3

=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

Sodium chloride
Zinc fluoride
Potassium hydroxide
Calcium nitrate
Barium Sulfite
Aluminum sulfate
Calcium phosphite
Ammonium chloride
Ammonium carbonate

Naming Covalent Compounds

When naming covalent compounds, the
name of the first element in the formula is
unchanged.
The suffix -ide is added to the second
element.

Often a prefix to the name of the second

element indicates the number of the element
in the compound
Examples:
SF6 sulfur hexafluoride
P4O10 tetraphosphorous decoxide
CO carbon monoxide
CO2 carbon dioxide

Covalent molecules with multiple

possibilities
A Roman Numeral is used to indicate the state
of the more positive element
Examples
1. N2O = Nitrogen (I) oxide Since oxygen has a
2- charge, the nitrogen must be 1+ to balance
the charges. Also known as dinitrogen
monoxide
2. N2O3 = Nitrogen (III) oxide Since oxygen has a
2- charge, the nitrogen must be 3+ to balance the
charges Also known as dinitrogen trioxide

Binary compounds of Hydrogen

The binary compounds of hydrogen are
special cases. They were discovered before
a convention was adopted and hence their
original names have stayed.
Water H2O is not called dihydrogen monoxide
Hydrogen forms binary compounds with almost all nonmetals except the noble gases.
Examples
HF - hydrogen fluoride
HCl - hydrogen chloride
H2S - hydrogen sulfide

Acids
When many hydrogen compounds are dissolve in
water they take on the form of an acid. Special rules
apply to acids. The ite suffix becomes ous and
the ate suffix becomes ic
HCl

Hydrochloric Acid

Cl-

Chloride

HNO2

Nitrous Acid

NO2-

Nitrite

HNO3

Nitric Acid

NO3-

Nitrate

H2SO3

Sulfurous Acid

SO32-

Sulfite

H2SO4

Sulfuric Acid

SO42-

Sulfate

H3PO3

Phosphorous Acid

PO33-

Phosphite

H3PO4

Phosphoric Acid

PO43-

Phosphate

H2CO3

Carbonic Acid

CO32-

Carbonate

Writing Formulas for Ionic

Compounds
Write the positive ion (cation) first, then the
negative ion.
The positive charges must balance the negative
charges.
Use subscripts to show how many times each
ion must appear in order for the charges to
balance. A subscript is not used if the ion
appears only once
Use parenthesis around polyatomic ions that
appear more than once in the formula

Examples
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Na+
Zn2+
K+
Ca2+
Fe2+
Fe3+
Ca2 +
NH4+
NH4+

and Cland Brand OHand OHand SO42and SO42and PO43and Cland CO32-

= NaCl
= ZnBr2
= KOH
= Ca(OH)2
= FeSO4
= Fe2(SO4) 3
= Ca3(PO4)2
= NH4Cl
= (NH4)2CO3

Chemical Reactions
Elements and compounds frequently
undergo chemical reactions to form new
substances
In a chemical reaction, chemical bonds are
frequently broken and new chemical
bonds are formed
Atoms are neither created nor destroyed in
an ordinary chemical change

Chemical Reactions
A balanced chemical reaction is used to
describe the process that occurs in a
chemical change.
For example: Zinc reacts with hydrochloric
acid to produce zinc chloride and
hydrogen gas.
This chemical reaction could be written as
Zn + 2 HCl ZnCl2 + H2

Reactants and Products

In the chemical reaction
Zn + 2 HCl ZnCl2 + H2
Reactants

Products

This shorthand way of describing a chemical

reaction is known as a chemical equation
The starting materials are shown on the left and
are known as reactants
The substances formed are shown on the right
and are known as the products

Balancing a Chemical Reaction

A proper chemical reaction must be
balanced
Zn + 2 HCl ZnCl2 + H2
Reactants

Products

Each element must appear on both sides

of the arrow and equal number of times
Chemical reactions can be balanced by
inserting numbers in front of formulas.
These numbers are called coefficients

Balancing Chemical Reactions

Most simple equations can be balanced by
inspection
Example: Balance the following equation

BaCl2 + K3PO4 Ba3 (PO4)2 + KCl

There are 3 Ba on the right so we need coefficient of 3

in front of BaCl2
There are 2 PO4 on the right so we need a coefficient of
2 in front of K3PO4.
This leaves 6 K on the left so we need a coefficient of 6
in front of the KCl on the right

The balanced equation is

3 BaCl2 + 2 K3PO4 Ba3 (PO4)2 + 6 KCl

Balancing Chemical Reactions

An equation is balanced when there are the same
number and kind of atoms on both sides of the
arrow

3 BaCl2 + 2 K3PO4 Ba3(PO4)2 + 6 KCl

Reactants (Left) Products (Right)

Ba

Ba

Cl

3x2=6

Cl

2x3= 6

2x4=8

2x4 =8

State Symbols
State symbols are often added to chemical equations.
CaCO3 (s) + 2 HCl (aq) CaCl2 (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O (l)

Symbols
(s)

Solid

(l)

Liquid

(g)

Gas

(aq)

Aqueous (Water Solution)

Types of Reactions
There are many kinds of chemical
reactions that occur. Some are very
simple while others are very complex
and may occur in multiple steps.
A number of reactions conform to
some relatively simple patterns
Understanding and identifying these
patterns can be helpful in predicting
the products of similar reactions

Direct Combination
In a direct combination, two elements or
compounds combine to form a more
complicated product
Examples
CaO + CO2 CaCO3
2 H2 + O2
2 H2O
FeCl2 + Cl2 FeCl3
N2 + O2
2 NO

Decomposition
In a dcecomposition, a single compound
is broken down into two or more simplier
substances
Examples
2 KClO3 2 KCl + 3 O2
ZnCO3 ZnO + CO2
Cu(OH)2 CuO + H2O

Single Replacement
In a single replacement, one substance
(usually an element) takes the place of
another in a compound
Examples
Zn + H2SO4 ZnSO4 + H2
Cl2 + 2 KBr 2 KCl + Br2
Mg + CuCl2 MgCl2 + Cu

Double Replacement
In a double replacement, two substances
exchange places in their respective
compounds
Examples
AgNO3 + NaCl AgCl + NaNO3
3 CaCl2 + 2 K3PO4 Ca3(PO4)2 + 6KCl
BaCl2 + Na2SO4 BaSO4 + 2NaCl

Diatomic Molecules
Certain elements
exist as diatomic
molecules in nature

H2

Hydrogen

N2

Nitrogen

F2

Fluorine

O2 Oxygen
I2

Iodine

Cl2 Chlorine

Br2 Bromine

Diatomic Molecules
Certain elements
exist as diatomic
molecules in nature

H2

Hydrogen Have

N2

Nitrogen

No

F2

Fluorine

Fear

O2 Oxygen

Of

I2

Ice

Iodine

Cl2 Chlorine

Cold

Br2 Bromine

Beer