Gen Chem 1 #23

Topic: ATOMS, MOLECULES, AND IONS

Objective: Name compounds given their formula and write formulas given the name of the compound.

The naming of compounds follows a set of rules.

1. Naming of binary compounds

Binary compounds – made up of two elements.
Rules for naming in two groups of binary compounds:
a. Ionic compounds – made up of a cation and an anion. They are named by giving the
name of the cation first, followed by the name of the anion.
Example:
a. NaI - sodium iodide
b. MgCl2 - magnesium chloride
c. FeS -iron sulfide
d. K2O - potassium oxide

b. Molecular compounds – made up of two non-metals. They are named by giving the
name of the first nonmetal and then that of the second nonmetal modified by the
ending ide. Molecular compounds are usually gases.
Example:
a. HCl - hydrogen chloride
b. CO2 - carbon dioxide
c. SO3 - sulfur trioxide

2. Naming ternary compounds –

made up of three elements. The naming of ternary compounds follows the same rule
as that of the binary ionic compound: the name of the cation is given first, followed by
the name of the anion.

Example:

a. NaNO3 - sodium nitrate

b. BaCrO4 - Barium Chromate
c. K2SO4 - Potassium Sulfate

3. Naming of acids.
Acids – yield hydrogen ions in aqueous solutions.

Binary acids

- composed of hydrogen and another element, usually a nonmetal.

- The first part of the name starts with the prefix hydro- followed by the
name of the element, modified by the ending –ic.
- The second part consists of the word ‘acid’.
Name = hydro- (root name of element) -ic + acid
Example:

a. HCl - hydrochloric acid

b. H2S - hydrosulfuric acid
c. HI - hydroiodic acid

Ternary acids

- made up of hydrogen and an anion, usually containing oxygen.

- The first part of the name consists of the root word of the name of the
element, modified by the ending –ic.
- The second part consists of the word ‘acid’. If there is another acid with
the same atoms, the suffix –ous is used to denote the one with less
number of atoms.
- Name = (root name of element) -ic (or –ous) + acid

Example:

a. HNO3 - nitric acid

b. HNO2 - nitrous acid
c. H2SO4 - sulfuric acid
d. H2SO3 - sulfurous acid
e. H3PO4 - phosphoric acid
f.
Writing the formula of the compound.

In writing the formula, the total positive charges of the cations should be equal
to the total of the negative charges of the anion. The net charge should be zero.

Example:

a. Silver nitrate – AgNO3

b. Potassium iodide, KI
c. Nitrogen dioxide , NO2
d. Barium chloride - BaCl
e. Hydrobromic acid - HBr
 Table of Greek prefixes used in naming molecular compounds

PREFIX MEANING PREFIX MEANING

Mono 1 Hexa 6
Di 2 Hepta 7
Tri 3 Octa 8
Tetra 4 Nona 9
Penta 5 deca 10

Table of Nomenclature for Common Polyatomic Ions

Name Formula Name Formula

Ammonium NH4 + Hydrogen sulfite HSO3-
Acetate C2H3O2- Hydroxide OH-
Bicarbonate HCO3- Hypochlorite HCLO-
Carbonate CO32- Nitrate NO3-
Chlorate ClO3- Nitrite NO2-
Chlorite ClO4- Oxalate C2O42-
Chromate CrO42- Perchlorate ClO4-
Cyanate CNO- Permanganate MnO4-
Cyanide CN- Phosphate PO43-
Dichromate Cr2O7-2- Sulfate SO42-
Dihydrogen phosphate H2PO4- Sulfite SO32-
Hydrogen phosphate HPO42- Thiocyanate NS-
Hydrogen sulfate HSO4- Thiosulfate S2O32-