Module 5: Chemical Symbols

5.1 Isotopes
Isotopes
- atoms of the same element that differ in mass due to different no. of neutrons in the nucleus

Different ways to represent Isotopes

Massno . 1
Protium Atomicno . 1 H 1
H H−1
Massno . 2
Deuterium Atomicno . 1 H 2
H H−2
Massno .3
Tritium Atomicno . 1 H 3
H H−3

5.2 Atomic Mass

– the atomic mass of a single atom is approximately equal to its mass number (a whole no.)
– however, the average masses of atoms of most elements are not whole no. because most elements exist naturally as
mixtures of two or more isotopes

average mass = ∑(fractional abundance × isotopic mass)

– only round up at the last step of calculation
– ex: Boron
10
B 19.9% 10.0129 amu
11
B 80.1% 11.0093 amu
Boron average mass = (0.199 × 10.0129 amu) + (0.801 × 11.0093 amu)
= 1.99 amu + 8.82 amu
= 10.81 amu (atomic mass unit)

– although the atomic mass of element is found in the periodic table, it is important to understand how the value for the
atomic mass is calculated.

Mass Spectometry
– the occurrence and natural abundances of isotopes can be experimentally determined using an instrument
called a mass spectrometer.

5.3 Ions
– Atoms are electrically neutral (same number of protons and electrons)
– Ions are charged atoms. All ions are atoms but not all atoms are ions
– Cations are atoms that lose e—
– Anions are atoms that gains e—
Massno .24
Atomic no. 12 Mg 2+charge of ion
Mg ion has 12 protons,12 neutrons, 10 electrons

5.4 Introduction to the Periodic Table

– Dimitri Mendeleev in Russia (1869) and Lothar Meyer in Germany (1870) independently recognized that there was a
periodic relationship among the properties of the elements known at that time.
– A modern periodic table arranges the elements in increasing order of their atomic numbers and groups atoms with
similar properties in the same vertical column.
– The elements are arranged in seven horizontal rows, called periods or series, and 18 vertical columns, called groups.

5.5 Chemical Formulas

Molecular formula
–represents a molecule by using chemical symbols to indicate the types of atoms followed by subscripts to show
the number of atoms of each type in the molecule

Structural formula
– for a compound, SF gives the same information as its molecular formula but also shows how the atoms are
connected in the molecule (lines represent bonds that hold the atoms together)
– chemical bond is an attraction between atoms or ions that holds them together in a molecule or a crystal

Ball-and-stick model
– shows the geometric arrangement of the atoms with atomic sizes not to scale, and a space-filling model
shows the relative sizes of the atoms

5.6 Ion Formation

– in ordinary chemical reactions, the nucleus of each atom (and thus the identity of the element) remains unchanged
– electrons, however, can be added to atoms by transfer from other atoms, lost by transfer to other atoms, or shared with
other atoms
– atoms of nonmetal elements form ions by gaining enough e — to give them the same no. of e— as an atom of the next
noble gas in the periodic table.
– group of element charge
1 +
2 +2
13 +3
14 +4
15 –3
16 –2
17 –
– metals, elements on the left side of the periodic table, tend to lose electrons and become positive ions (cations)
– nonmetals, elements on the right side of the periodic table, tend to gain electrons and become negative ions (anions)
– transition metals and some other metals often exhibit variable charges that are not predictable by their location in the
table

5.7 Ionic Compounds

Ionic bonds
– are electrostatic forces of attraction, that is, the attractive forces experienced between objects of
opposite electrical charge

Ionic compounds
– When an element composed of atoms that readily lose e — (a metal) reacts with an element composed of
atoms that readily gain e— (a nonmetal), a transfer of electrons usually occurs, producing ions.
–is a compound that contains ions and is held together by ionic bonds

5.8 Nomenclature of Binary Ionic Compounds

General format: metal (monatomic cation) [space] nonmetal (monatomic anion)

Naming Binary Ionic Compounds (cation with Fixed oxidation state)

cation [space] root of anion + ide

Naming Ionic Compounds with Multiple Charge Cations (or Variable oxidation state)
cation (oxidation state in roman numeral) [space] root of anion + ide
5.9 Nomenclature for Ionic Compounds with Polyatomic Ions
Polyatomic ions
– a group of bonded atoms with an overall charge

Naming Ionic Compounds with Polyatomic Ions

Case 1: fixed charged cation
monatomic cation with fixed charge [space] polyatomic anion
Case 2: variable charged cation
monatomic cation(oxidation state in roman numeral) [space] polyatomic anion
Case 3:
polyatomic cation [space] root of monatomic anion + ide
Case 4: monatomic cation & polyatomic anion with hydrogen
monatomic cation [space] polyatomic anion
ex: NaHCO3 is Sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogen
Case 5: polyatomic cation & polyatomic anion without hydrogen
cation [space] polyatomic anion
ex: NaCaPO4 is Sodium calcium phosphate

5.10 Molecular Compounds

– molecular compounds (covalent compounds) are formed when atoms share, rather than transfer (gain or lose), e —
Nomenclature of Binary Molecular Compounds
General format: nonmetallic element [space] more nonmetal nonmetallic element
Greek prefix + 1st element [space] Greek prefix+ root of 2nd element + ide
– “mono” is not used in naming the 1st element with one atom
– when two vowels are adjacent, the a in the Greek prefix is usually dropped
– there are binary molecular compounds that are known by their common names N 2O is known as nitrous oxide
even its technical name is dinitrogen monoxide. H2O is usually called water, not dihydrogen monoxide
5.11 Nomenclature for Acids
– many acids release hydrogen ions, H+, when dissolved in water

Binary Acids
General format: hydrogen (cation) [space] nonmetal (anion)
Case 1: Pure substance (ex. HCl(g))
hydrogen [space] root of 2nd element + ide
Case 2: in Aqueous solution (ex. HCl(aq))
hydro + root of 2nd element + ic [space] acid

Oxyacids
– compounds that contain hydrogen, oxygen, and at least one other element, and are bonded in such a way as to
impart acidic properties to the compound
Case 1: 2 ternary acids with the same elements
root of anion + ous/ic [space] acid
ic if it has lower no. of O atom; ous if the opposite
Case 2: Same elements with more than 2 ternary acids
With lowest no. of oxygen atom: hypo + root of anion + ous [space] acid
2nd to the lowest: root of anion + ous [space] acid
2nd to the highest: root of anion + ic [space] acid
Highest: per + root of anion + ic [space] acid
Examples/Summary
Table 1. Some elements and their corresponding ions
Element Ion name Ion formula

sodium sodium ion Na +

magnesium magnesium ion Mg 2+
aluminum aluminum ion Al3 +¿¿
chlorine chloride ion Cl−¿¿
sulfide sulfide ion S2−¿¿
nitrogen nitride ion N 3−¿¿

Table 2. Some ionic compounds and their corresponding formula

Elements combined Name of compound Formula of compound

sodium and chlorine sodium chloride NaCl

 sodium and sulfur sodium sulfide Na2S

magnesium and chloride magnesium chloride MgCl2

magnesium and nitrogen magnesium nitride Mg3N2

aluminum and sulfur aluminum sulfide Al2S3

magnesium and sulfur magnesium sulfide MgS

aluminum and nitrogen aluminum nitride AlN

Table 3. Some common polyatomic ions

Name of polyatomic ion Formula of polyatomic ion

ammonium NH 4+¿¿

carbonate CO 32−¿ ¿

acetate C 2 H 3 O2−¿¿

chlorate Cl O3−¿ ¿

cyanide CN −¿¿
nitrate NO 3−¿¿

Table 4. Some perchlorate ClO4−¿¿ common polyatomic

ions in an ionic compound
permanganate Mn O4−¿¿
Name of polyatomic ion Formula of polyatomic ion
phosphate
ammonium carbonate P O 43−¿¿ ( N H 4 ) C O3
2

2−¿¿
ammonium sulfate
sulfate (SNH
O4 4 ) SO 4
2

potassium acetate KC 2 H 3 O2

calcium sulfate CaSO 4

aluminum carbonate Al2 ( CO 3) 3

sodium bicarbonate NaHCO 3

magnesium phosphate Mg 3 ( PO 4 )2

ammonium chloride NH 4 Cl

magnesium hydroxide MgOH 2

sodium hypochlorite NaOCl

Table 5. Some ions with variable charge

 Ion formula Ion name

Fe2+ ¿¿ iron(II) ion, ferrous ion

Fe3 +¿¿ iron(III) ion, ferric ion

Cr 3+¿ ¿ chromium (III) ion

Cr 6+¿ ¿ chromium (VI) ion

Table 6. Some compounds of ions with variable charge

Formula Name

Fe Cl2 iron(II) chloride, ferrous chloride

Fe2 O3 iron(III) oxide, ferric oxide

Fe2 ( C O3 )3 iron(III) carbonate, ferric carbonate

Table 7. Some binary molecular compounds

Formula Name

CO carbon monoxide

C O2 carbon dioxide

N O3 nitrogen trioxide

N 2 O5 dinitrogen pentaoxide, dinitrogen pentoxide

Table 8. Some binary molecular compounds with common names

Formula Name

H2O water

N H3 ammonia

CH 4 methane

B2 H 6 diborane

SiH 4 silane

PH 3 phosphine

H2 S hydrogen sulfide

Table 9. Binary acids and their solutions

Formula Name Name of aqueous solution

HCl hydrogen chloride hydrochloric acid

 HBr hydrogen bromide hydrobromic acid

HI hydrogen iodide hydroiodic acid

Table 10. Some oxoacids

Formula Name

HN O3 nitric acid

HNO2 nitrous acid

HClO3 chloric acid

HClO 2 chlorous acid

H 3 PO 4 phosphoric acid

H 2 SO 4 sulfuric acid

Binary – composed of only 2 elements

Ternary – contains 3 elements

Hydrates – has water

 Salt (metal + nonmetal)

Form: metal (cation) + nonmetal (anion)

Case  

1 cation with FIXED oxidation state (ex. KBr)

  format:

cation + (root of 2nd element + -ide)

Case  

2 cation with VARIABLE oxidation state (ex. FeCl2 or FeCl3)

  format:

cation (oxidation state) + (root of 2nd element + -ide)

 Polyatomic cation or polyatomic anion

Case Cation Anion Example Name

1 Monoatomic Polyatomic    

  1.1 Fixed oxidation state Polyatomic KOH  Potassium hydroxide

  1.2 Variable oxidation state Polyatomic CuOH  Copper(I) hydroxide

Copper(II) hydroxide

Cu(OH)2

2 Polyatomic Monoatomic NH4Br  Ammonium bromide

3 Polyatomic Polyatomic    

  3.1 One of the atoms is Polyatomic NaHCO3 Sodium carbonate or

HYDROGEN Sodium hydrogen
carbonate

  3.2 No hydrogen included Polyatomic NaCaPO4 Sodium calcium

phosphate

 Nonmetal + nonmetal
Format: (Greek prefix + 1st element) + (Greek prefix + root of 2nd element + -ide)
Ex: N2O5

 Acid (hydrogen + another nonmetal)

Form: hydrogen (cation) + nonmetal (anion)

Case  

1 pure substance (ex. HCl(g) ) Hydrochloride

  format: hydrogen + (root of 2nd element + -ide)

2 in aqueous solution (ex. HCl(aq)) Hydrochloric acid

  format: hydro + (root of 2nd element + -ic acid)

 Oxoacids (H + O + another nonmetal)

Case 1: 2 ternary acids with the same elements

Formula No. of oxygen atoms Suffix Compound Name

HNO2 2 -ous  Nitrous acid

HNO3 3 -ic  Nitric acid

H2SO3 3 -ous  Sulfurous acid

H2SO4 4 -ic  Sulfuric acid

Case 2: same elements with more than 2 ternary acids

Formula No. of oxygen atoms Prefix Suffix Compound Name

HClO4 4 per- -ic  Perchloric acid

HClO3 3 --- -ic  Chloric acid

HClO2 2 --- -ous  Chlorous acid

HClO 1 hypo- -ous  Hypochlorous acid