CHEMICAL FORMULAR OF COMPOUNDS

Note: Recall the symbols of your first 20 elements in the periodic table
A chemical formula an expression that shows various elements constituting a compound
When writing chemical formula, we use the knowledge of valences and chemical symbol of elements and
radicals
A valency is the combining power of an element or a radical i.e the number an element and radical are
joined by to form a compound
A radical is an atom or groups of atoms which cannot exist on their own but only exist in a compound
Valency of elements

Valency Element
Sodium (Na), potassium (K), silver (Ag), lithium 1
(Li)
Magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca) , barium (Ba), 2
Zinc
Nitrogen (N) 3
Some elements have more than one valency and for such elements their valences are put in brackets when
giving the name of a compound for example copper (II) sulphate , it shows copper has more one valency

Element Valency
Copper 1 and 2
Iron 2 and 3
Lead 2 and 4
Phosphorous 3 and 5
Sulphur 4 and 6
Valences of radicals

Radical Valency
Hydroxide (OH). Chloride (Cl), Bromide (Br), 1
Manganate (MnO4), Ammonium (NH4),
Hydrogen carbonate (HCO3), Hydrogen sulphate
(HSO4)
Carbonate (CO3) , Sulphate (SO4), Sulphite (SO3), 2
Oxide (O), Peroxide (O2)
Phosphate(PO3) 3
Steps in writing a chemical formula

 Write down the symbols of the elements and radicals in the compound
 Put the valences on the top right of each element and its radical
 Exchange the valences
N.B. Ensure that symbols of elements and radicals are written correctly
If the formula of the elements contains two letters, the first letter must be capital letter and the second
letter must be a small letter e.g Al
Examples
Write chemical formula of each of the following compound
(a) Calcium hydroxide
𝐶𝑎1 2 𝑂𝐻21
𝐶𝑎(𝑂𝐻)2
(b) Sodium peroxide
N𝑎1 2 𝑂2 21
𝑁𝑎2 𝑂2
(c) Sodium hydrogen carbonate

𝑁𝑎1 𝐻𝐶𝑂31
𝑁𝑎𝐻𝐶𝑂3
(d) Copper (II) oxide

𝐶𝑢2 𝑂2
𝐶𝑢𝑂
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑤𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑏𝑦𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟
(e) Hydrogen peroxide
𝐻1 2 𝑂2 21
𝐻2 𝑂2
(f) Calcium hydrogen carbonate
𝐶𝑎2 𝐻𝐶𝑂31
𝐶𝑎(𝐻𝐶𝑂3 )2
Other already worked formulas .Try and prove out.
Zinc carbonate ,ZnCO3
Potassium permanganate, KMnO4
Lead (II) oxide ,PbO
Ammonium carbonate,(𝑁𝐻4 )2 𝐶𝑂3
EXERCISE
Write the chemical formula of each of the following compounds
(a) Calcium nitrate
(b) Magnesium sulphate
(c) Barium sulphate
(d) Sodium oxide
(e) Phosphorous (V)oxide
(f) Zinc oxide
(g) Potassium hydroxide
(h) Manganese (IV) oxide
(i) Ammonium nitrate
(j) Ammonium sulphate