Empirical and Molecular Formulae

1. Empirical (simplest ratio of atoms of each element that present in the compound) and molecular
formulae (actual number of atoms of each element that are present in one molecule of the compound)
indicate:
 the types of the elements
 the symbols of the elements and the ratio of atoms or
 moles of atoms of each element in a compound.

2. Molecular formula = (empirical formula)n ; n is a positive number

Compound Molecular formula n Empirical formula
Carbon dioxide CO2 1 (CO2) = CO2
Ethane CH3 2 (CH3)2 = C2H6
Propene CH2 3 (CH2)3 = C3H6
Glucose CH2O 6 (CH2O)6 = C6H12O6
Quinine C10H12NO 2 C20H24N2O2

3. Chemical formulae for covalent compounds.

Name Chemical Number of each element
formula
Nitrogen gas N2 2 nitrogen atoms
Oxygen gas O2 2 oxygen atoms
Ammonia NH3 1 nitrogen atom and 3 hydrogen atoms
Water H2O 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom

4. Cations are positively-charged ions.

Charge Cations Formula
+1 Ammonium ion NH4+
+1 * Copper(I) ion Cu+
+1 Hydrogen ion H+
+1 Lithium ion Li+
+1 * Nickel(I) ion Ni+
+1 Potassium ion K+
+1 Silver ion Ag+
+1 Sodium ion Na+
+2 Barium ion Ba2+
+2 Calcium ion Ca2+
+2 * Copper(II) ion Cu2+
+2 * Iron(II) ion Fe2+
+2 * Lead(II) ion Pb2+
+2 Magnesium ion Mg2+
+2 * Manganese(II) ion Mn2+
+2 Nickel(II) ion Ni2+
+2 * Tin(II) ion Sn2+
+2 Zinc ion Zn2+
+3 Aluminium ion Al3+
+3 * Chromium(III) ion Cr3+
+3 * Iron(III) ion Fe3+
+4 * Lead(IV) ion Pb4+
+4 * Tin(IV) ion Sn4+
* refer to the Roman numerals
5. Anions are negatively-charged ions.
Charge Anions Formula
-1 Bromide ion Br-
-1 Chloride ion Cl-
-1 Chlorate(V) ion ClO3-
-1 Ethanoate ion CH3COO-
-1 Fluoride ion F-
-1 Hydride ion H-
-1 Hydroxide ion OH-
-1 Iodide ion I-
-1 Manganate(VII) ion MnO4-
-1 Nitrate ion NO3-
-1 Nitrite ion NO2-
-2 Oxide ion O2-
-2 Carbonate ion CO32-
-2 Chromate(VI) ion CrO42-
-2 Dichromate(VI) ion Cr2O72-
-2 Sulphide ion S2-
-2 Sulphate ion SO42-
-2 Sulphite ion SO32-
-2 Thiosulphate ion S2O32-
-3 Nitride ion N3-
-3 Phosphate ion PO43-
-3 Phosphite ion PO33-

6. Chemical formulae for ionic compounds

Name Chemical formula Number of Number of
cation anion
Zinc chloride ZnCl2 1 Zn2+ 2 Cl-
Copper(II) sulphate CuSO4 2 Cu2+ 2 SO42-
Aluminium sulphate Al2(SO4)3 2 Al3+ 3 SO42-

7. Meaning of prefixes
Prefix Meaning
Mono- 1
Di- 2
Tri- 3
Tetra- 4
Penta- 5
Hexa- 6
Hepta- 7
Octa- 8
Nona- 9
Deca- 10
8. Naming of chemical (non-metal) compounds with Greek numerical prefixes.
Non-metal compound Chemical formula
Carbon monoxide CO
Carbon dioxide CO2
Sulphur dioxide SO2
Sulphur trioxide SO3
Carbon tetrachloride CCl4
(tetrachloromethane)
So, do come back for more Berry Essential Not

Chemical Equation
1. Importance of chemical equation: The types of reactants; the physical conditions; the quantity of
reactants and products and stated in moles.
AB + CD  AD + CB

2. Reactants are written in the left side of the reaction and products are written in the right side of
the reaction.
 Example 1:
Word equation: Sodium hydroxide + sulphuric acid –> sodium sulphate + water
Chemical equation: NaOH + H2SO4 –> Na2SO4 + H2O
Balancing equation: 2NaOH + H2SO4 –> Na2SO4 + 2H2O
Complete chemical equation: 2NaOH + H2SO4 –> Na2SO4 + 2H2O

 Example 2:
Word equation: Aluminium + copper(II) oxide –> aluminium(III) oxide + copper
Chemical equation: Al + CuO –> Al2O3 + Cu
Balancing equation: 2Al + 3CuO –> Al2O3 + 3Cu
Complete chemical equation: 2Al + 3CuO –> Al2O3 + 3Cu

 Example 3:
Word equation: Nitrogen + hydrogen <–> ammonia
Chemical equation: N2 + H2 <–> NH3
Balancing equation: N2 + 3H2 <–> 2NH3
Complete chemical equation: N2 + 3H2 <–> 2NH3

3. Information obtainable from chemical equations.

 i) mass of reactants
 ii) volume of reacting gas
 iii) mass of products formed
 iv) volume of gas produced

Example:
2 cm3 of lead (II) nitrate solution is added to excess of potassium iodide solution.
How many molecules of potassium nitrate will be formed?
[Relative atomic mass: N, 14; O, 16; K, 39; I, 127; Pb, 207;
Avogadro's constant: 6.02 x 1023mol-1]

Step 1: Write a complete chemical equation.

 Pb(NO3)2(aq) + 2KI(aq) –> PbI2(s) + 2KNO3(aq)
 From the equation, 1 mole of Pb(NO3)2 reacts with 2 moles of KI formed 1 mole PbI2 of
and 2 moles of KNO3.
Step 2: Convert to moles.
 No. of moles of Pb(NO3)2
= Mass of Pb(NO3)2 / Relative molecular mass
= 2 / [207 + 2(14 + 3 x 16)]
= 6.04 x 10-3 mol

Step 3: Ratio of moles.

 Number of moles of KNO3/ Number of moles of Pb(NO3)2
= 2/1
 Number of moles of KNO3
= (2 x 6.04 x 10-3) / 1
= 12.08 x 10-3 mol

Step 4: Convert to the number of molecules of potassium nitrate.

 Number of molecules of KNO3
= 12.08 x 10-3 x 6.02 x 1023
= 7.27 x 1021

Predict the Formula of an Ionic Compound

 Cation Mb+
 Anion Xa-
 Formula of an ionic compound formed, MaXb

Formulae for ionic compound

Metal Non-metal Ionic
atom, M atom, X Compound
Group 1 Group 15 M3X
Group 1 Group 16 M2X
Group 1 Group 17 MX
Group 2 Group 15 M3X2
Group 2 Group 16 MX
Group 2 Group 17 MX2
Group 13 Group 15 MX
Group 13 Group 16 M2X3
Group 13 Group 17 MX3
Some common ionic compound

Ionic Compound – ionic bonding is strong electrostatics forces between the oppositely-charged ions
Covalent Compound – covalent bonding is strong bonding between the atoms in the molecule
Properties of Ionic and Covalent Compounds
Ionic Compound Differences Covalent Compound
Ions Particles Molecules
Lost or gained Electron Shared
Strong electrostatics Forces Strong (Covalent bond)
forces (Ionic bond) between the atoms in the
between the oppositely- molecule. Weak forces of
charged ions arranged in attraction between the
a 3-D giant crystal lattice molecules (van der Waals’
forces)
Solid State Gases or volatile liquids
High Melting point Low (Simple molecules)High
(Giant molecules)
High Melting point Low (Simple molecules)High
(Giant molecules)
Non-volatile Volatility Very volatile (Simple
molecules)Non-volatile (Giant
molecules)
Dissolve in water and Solubility in water Do not dissolve in water
polar solvents
Do not dissolve in Solubility in Dissolve in organic solvent
organic solvent organic solvent (ether, alcohol, benzene,
tetrachloromethane and
propanone)
Conduct electricity in Electricity Cannot conduct electricity in
liquid and aqueous conductor any state (no free mobile ions)
solution (positive and
negative ions can move
freely). Cannot conduct
electricity in solid state
(fixed position and
cannot move freely).