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General
Chemistry 1

Quarter 1 - Module 2:
Chemical Formula of
Common Chemical
Substances
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What I Need to Know?

This module was prepared to direct you on how to interpret the meaning of a
given chemical formula as well as to become familiar with the chemical formula of
common chemical substances. Knowing the chemical formula of a certain
substance, we could explain the composition and the characteristics of that
substance. In addition, familiarization on the chemical formula of common
substances, we could easily understand the information written on the food and
other product labels. In this manner, we could avoid a danger or misused of
products due to lack of familiarization to some chemical formulas. One danger
could be allergic reaction if a person took a medicine containing a component that
is said to be allergen to that person. The scope of this module covers many different
learning situations where students could relate their personal experiences on
different samples of matter. The language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary
level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the
course. But the order in which you read them can be changed to correspond with
the textbook you are now using.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. recognize the formulas of common chemical substances,
(STEM_GC11Mp1a-b-9).

What I Know?
(Critical Thinking)

To check your prior knowledge about the topic, and to solicit the questions
that you want to know about it, fill in the Know and Want to know components of
the Know-Want to know- Learned (KWL) chart properly and correctly. For the Know
component, you may write word/s or sentence. For the want to know component,
state your responses in interrogative or question form. You may list as many
responses as you want for each component. Write your responses on a separate
sheet of paper.

KWL Chart
Topic Know Want to know Learned
Chemical Formula

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Guide Questions
1. Based from what you have written on the Know component of the chart, what do
you know about chemical formula?

2. If you were to think of a question that you want to ask about chemical formula,
what question would that be?

HOLD ON AMIGO!!!
DIRECTION: After you have filled-in the K and W components of the
chart and answered the guide questions, answer now the diagnostic
assessment below within 10 minutes.

PRE-TEST
A. Sentence Completion. Complete each statement with a word/ concept in
the blank of the item.

1. The chemical symbol of oxygen is _____.

2. There is/are ____ hydrogen atom/s present in this chemical formula
C 6 H 12 O 6 .
3. _____ is shorthand of expressing the types and the number of atoms
present in a substance.
4. C is the chemical symbol for ______.
5. There is/are _____ oxygen atom/s in H 2 O.

B. Identification. Determine the types and number of atoms in the

following chemical formulas.
6. BF 3
7. C 3 H 8
8. K 2 CO 3
9. CH 4
10. CF 4

HOLD ON AMIGO!!!
DIRECTION: Rest for 1 minute then you may start reading the lesson
1 below about the characteristics of the Particles of Matter.

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Lesson
Chemical Formula
1

Food, medicine and other product labels may sometime confuse you on the
ingredients or materials that contain them because these are written in their
chemical formula form. These formulas are often alien to us because of our lack of
understanding or idea about chemical formula. Most of the time, we associate
chemical formulas for scientists or chemists only. That is why some people tend to
lose interest on trying to understand the meaning of a chemical formula because to
them as ordinary persons, this thing is not important and just a waste of time if
they will study it.

But because of the changing society coupled with information explosion, it

is important to us to grasp an idea on how to interpret a chemical formula, and
become acquainted with common formulas which we usually encounter every day.
This module will discuss the meaning of a given chemical formula as well as the
formula of some common chemical substances.

What’s In?

LET US HAVE SOME FUN!

Picture Analysis. Analyze the picture below then answer the corresponding
guide questions.

Guide Questions
1. What is the picture all about? Why?
2. Which substance is being represented by that structure? (Clue: It is the
universal solvent)
3. What is the formula of that universal solvent? Explain your answer.

HOLD ON AMIGO!!!
DIRECTION: After you analyze the given picture and answered the
guide questions, let us proceed to what’s new. Read the direction
carefully.

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What’s New?
(Communication)

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY WORDS

Read the description of important terms that you will encounter in this
module.

VOCABULARY WORD MEANING

1. Subscript A small number written at the lower right corner

of a chemical symbol.

2. Chemical symbol An abbreviation that represents the name of an

element.

HOLD ON AMIGO!!!
DIRECTION: After finding out the meaning of important terms that
you will encounter as you read the next part, make time to read the
characteristics of the particles below thoroughly.

What is a Chemical Formula?

Chemical Formula
If we are to study the meaning of chemical formula, two words are involved
namely chemical and formula. Chemical refers to a compound or substance while
formula refers to the symbolic expression. Thus, a chemical formula is a symbolic
expression of a compound or substance. It is also described as shorthand of
expressing the types and the number of atoms in a substance.

What is the Meaning of a Given Chemical Formula?

Once again, chemical formula is the shorthand of expressing the types and
the number of atoms in a substance. For example, CO 2 is the chemical formula of a
substance known as carbon dioxide. But what does this CO 2 formula mean? What
information can we get from this formula? In this substance based from its formula
of CO 2 , the said substance is made up of two types of atoms, these are carbon and
oxygen. This is because the formula has two different letters that are written in
capital form; C and O. The capital letter is known as chemical symbol that
represents a certain substance known as element. Let us use the periodic table
below to determine the chemical symbol of the elements.

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Molecular Structure of CO 2.

The chemical formula also tells the number of each type of atom and the
central atom of the molecule specifically if it is not a diatomic molecule. The first
chemical symbol written at the right side of the formula tells us that it is the
central atom, or the atom located at the center of the molecule. So, for CO 2 , since C
is the first letter of the chemical formula, the C which is the carbon atom is the
central atom.

If the letter is the chemical symbol that represents an element, the subscript
represents the number of atom in the chemical formula. In CO 2 , the subscript of
oxygen is 2 while carbon is 1. Even though there is no number 1 indicated after
letter C in CO 2 , it is presumed that there is one. So the number after the letter
refers to its number of atoms.

Chemical Formula of Carbon dioxide

So let us take HCl as another example. Determine the atoms represented by

chemical symbols that make up the formula, and determine the number of each
atom.

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In the chemical formula HCl, there are two elements which are combined
together. These are hydrogen represented by the chemical symbol of H and chlorine
which is represented by the chemical symbol of Cl. Note that the l in Cl is not
expressed in capital letter. This means that the letter l is part of Cl and not
separate chemical symbol. After determining that HCl has two combined chemical
symbols. The next step is to identify the number of atoms of each element that
make up the chemical formula. So in HCl, since there is no number written after H,
we presumed that there is only 1 H. The same thing with Cl, there is only 1 atom of
Cl in the formula. In short, there is only 1 Hydrogen atom and 1 Chlorine atom.

HOLD ON AMIGO!!!
Did you understand what you have read about chemical formula? If
yes, let us proceed to the mini-performance task. You are about to
perform the procedure as instructed in the Mini-performance task.
Read and follow the procedure carefully. Good luck!

Mini-Performance Task
(Collaboration)

Activity 1 – Chemical Formula and Molecular Structure

Procedure
1. Determine the common name, the types and number of atoms, and the
molecular structure of the given chemical formula in each item.

2. Fill-in the table with correct information.

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Data and Results
Chemical Common Type of Number Molecular Structure
Formula Name Atoms of Each
Atom
1. NaCl

2. NH 3

3. C 12 H 22 O 11

4. CH 4

5. C9H8O4

6. NaOH

QUESTIONS
1. What is the common name of each substance?
2. How is chemical symbol different form a chemical formula?

What I Have Learned?

(Critical Thinking)

You have to fill in the L component of the KWL chart to generalize the things
they have learned about the topic.
KWL Chart
Topic Know Want to know Learned
Chemical Formula I have learned that
….

HOLD ON AMIGO!!!
After you have filled-in the L component of the chart, proceed now to
the what I can do.

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What I Can Do?

(Character and Creativity)

WORK IN PROGRESS

You may choose to any of the added task to you.

1. Research on the active ingredient or chemical present in plant extract found in

the Philippines that has antiseptic property. Determine the chemical formula of the
active ingredient.

2. Formulate a right formula to successful life? How about to covid-free life?

HOLD ON AMIGO!!!
Congratulations Mi Amigo! You are almost done in this lesson. Let us do
the last part which is the assessment.

Assessment
(Critical Thinking)

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

A. Sentence Completion. Complete each statement with a word/ concept in

the blank of the item.

1. _____ is shorthand of expressing the types and the number of atoms

present in a substance.
2. The chemical symbol of carbon is _____.
3. There is/are ____ nitrogen atom/s present in this chemical formula
NH 3 .
4. O is the chemical symbol for ______.
5. There is/are _____ hydrogen atom/s in C 6 H 12 O 6 .

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B. Identification. Determine the common name, the types and number of atoms,
and the molecular structure of the given chemical formula in each item.
Chemical Common Type of Number Molecular Structure
Formula Name Atoms of Each
Atom
1. CaCO 3

2. CaO

3. C 2 H 5 OH

HOLD ON AMIGO!!!
Congratulations Mi Amigo!!! We are done in this module. You may now
proceed to the next module. See you next time.

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REFERENCES

Mendoza E. and Religioso T. (2008). Chemistry Laboratory Manual. Phoenix

Publication

Mendoza E. (2003). Chemistry Textbook. Phoenix Publication

Acknowledgements
Writer: Gary R. Ramos, MAT-GS
Editors: Ma. Teresa M. Chico- PSDS, Rosalina Aranzamendez- PSDS and Ma. Victoria
Santos- PSDS
Reviewers: Amalia C. Solis- EPS, Rebecca M. Roxas- EPS and Lucita A. Gener- EPS
Management Team: Maria Magdelema M. Lim- Schools Division Superintendent-
Manila, Aida H. Rondilla- Chief Education Supervisor, Lucky S. Carpio- EPS and Lady
Hannah C. Gillo, Librarian II- LRMS

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ANSWER SHEET
Module 2 – Chemical Formula

Name: ______________________________ Grade/ Sec. ____________________ Score: ___

Teacher: ____________________________ School: _________________________ Date: ____

General Direction: Write your answers here from Pre-Test to Post-Test including
the answers in the activities. Detach and submit this part to your teacher upon
his/her direction which usually after you have completed this module.

KWL CHART
Topic Know Want to know Learned
Chemical Formula

PRE-TEST
Sentence Completion Identification
1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.

POST-TEST
Sentence Completion
1. 3. 5.
2. 4.
Identification
Chemical Common Type of Number Molecular Structure
Formula Name Atoms of Each
Atom
1. CaCO 3

2. CaO

3. C 2 H 5 OH

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Activity 1 – Chemical Formula and Molecular Structure
Data and Result

Chemical Common Type of Number Molecular Structure

Formula Name Atoms of Each
Atom
1. NaCl

2. NH 3

3. C 12 H 22 O 11

4. CH 4

5. C9H8O4

6. NaOH

Answer to Questions
1.________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

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