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General Chemistry 1
Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Atomic Structure, Formulas
and Names of Compounds

i
i
 Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Region VII, Central Visayas
DIVISION OF CITY SCHOOLS
City of Naga, Cebu Division

GRADE 12 ADM LEARNING RESOURCE

GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1
(Quarter 1 – Week 2)
Atomic Structure, Formulas and Names of Compounds

What I Need To Know

Compounds are formed when two or more elements chemically

combine, resulting in the formation of bonds.

This module helps the learners understand the concepts of atomic structure,
formulas and names of compounds.

At the end of this module, the learners will be able to:

1. Identify various common isotopes and their uses;

2. Represent common compounds using chemical formulas, structural formulas
and models;
3. Name compounds given their formula;
4. Write formula given the name of the compound; and
5. Calculate the empirical formula from the percent composition of a compound.

Note:
Do not write anything in this module. Write all your answers on a separate sheet of
paper.

What I Know

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A. Fill in the blanks to complete each sentence.

1. The nucleus of an atom contains ________and ________and is surrounded by

__________.
2. The atomic number of a neutral Carbon atom is _______.
3. The mass number of oxygen is _________.
4. The chemical symbol of Helium is ________.
5. The chemical symbol of fluorine is ________.

B. For each of the following isotopes, write the number of protons, neutrons, and
electrons. Assume all atoms are neutral.
Chromium -58 Chromium-63
# of protons
# of neutrons
# of electrons

C. Complete the table.

Molecular Number of Atoms of Number of Atoms of Name of Compound
Formula First element Second Element
PCl5
N2O5

What’s In

Directions: Match each commonly known compound to its corresponding chemical

formula. Write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.

COLUMN A COLUMN B

1. Dry ice a) C12 H22 O11

2. Sugar b) NaOH
3. Caustic Soda c) CO2
4. Chalk d) NaHCO3
5. Baking soda e) CaCO3

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What’s New
Activity 1: Atoms and Isotopes Concepts to

Remember in the Activity:

✓ Atoms and isotopes are identified by the numbers of protons, electrons, and
neutrons that they contain.
✓ The number of protons, electrons, and neutrons in atoms determines the
chemical properties of the elements.
✓ A knowledge of the number of protons and electrons in an atom will help you
understand how atoms combine to form molecules.

Learning Objectives
✓ Identify the composition of atoms in terms of protons, neutrons, and electrons
✓ Use atomic symbols to represent different atoms and isotopes

Success criteria
✓ Quickly identify atomic symbols, atomic numbers, mass numbers, and number of
electrons for elements

New Concepts
✓ proton, electron, neutron, atom, atomic nucleus, isotope, element, atomic
symbol, atomic number, mass number
Vocabulary
✓ composition, electrical charge, subscript, superscript

Model: Two Isotopes of Sodium

✓ The diagram shows a representation of the sodium isotopes
✓ The proton has a charge of +1, the electron -1, and the neutron 0

Note: the diameter of an atom is about 10,000 times larger than the diameter of the
atomic nucleus so the relative sizes of the atom and the nucleus are not accurately
depicted.

A. Directions: Read and analyze the diagram of the sodium isotopes. Answer the guide
questions that follow.

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Guide Questions:

1. How are the two sodium isotopes in the model similar and different?
2. How is the mass number, A, determined?
3. What information is provided by the atomic number, Z?
4. What is the relationship between the number of protons and the number of
electrons in an atom?
5. Because of the relationship between the number of protons and the number of
electrons in an atom, what is the electrical charge of an atom?
6. Where are the electrons, protons, and neutrons located in an atom?
7. Where is most of the mass located in an atom?
8. What is common in all sodium isotopes that distinguishes them from atoms and
isotopes of other elements?
B. Write the atomic symbols for the two isotopes of carbon, one with the mass number
of 12 the other with the mass number of 13.
12 13

C. Fill in the missing information in the following table:

Name Symbol Atomic Mass Number of Number of
Number Number Neutrons Electrons

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1. Oxygen 16
8 16 8 8
O
8

2. 7 7

3. 34

S
4. Deuterium 1 1
(hydrogen)
5. Tritium 1 3
(hydrogen)
6. 9 19

7. Beryllium 9

8. 12 24

9. 12 25

10. 238 92

11. Chlorine 35

12. 17 37

13. Kr 84 36

14. 26 56

15. silver 60

16. 70 51

17. 195 117

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 18. 79 118

Activity 2: Molecular Models

A. Lewis Structure Worksheet

Directions: Inside each box, draw the Lewis structure of each compound. A sample is
shown:

NO3

PH3 H2S NH3 H2O CCl4

H2 SiF4 NCl3 SCl2 OH-

B. Making Molecular Models of Compounds

Directions: Using any available materials, construct Molecular Models of the

given compounds. Take photos of your models and submit to your teacher.
Compound
HCl (hydrochloric acid)
H2O (water)
NH3 (Ammonia)
CH4 (Methane)
CO2 (carbon dioxide) Example: water

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 Activity 3:
Naming Compounds

Directions: Fill in the missing name or formula for each compound.

Chemical Compound Name Chemical Compound Name

Formula Formula
CS2 XeF4
PbI2 Na3P
BaCl2 N2O5
SE2S6 CoBr3

Activity 4
Empirical Formulas

Directions: Compute the empirical formula asked in each number. See sample below:
A compound was analyzed and found to contain 13.5 g Ca, 10.8 g O, and
0.675 g H. What is the empirical formula of the compound?
Start with the number of grams of Given: 13.5 g Ca
each element, given in the problem. 10.8 g O
0.675 g H
Convert the mass of each element
to moles using the molar mass from
the periodic table.

Divide each mole value by the

smallest number of moles
calculated. Round to the nearest
whole number.

This is the mole ratio of the

elements and is represented by
subscripts in the empirical formula.

State the empirical formula for each of the following compounds: a)

C4H8;
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b) C2H6O2;
c) N2O5;
d) Ba3(PO4)2; e) Te4I16

What Is It

Isotopes

Isotopes are variations of chemical elements that have the same number of
protons but different numbers of neutrons. We can identify isotopes based on their
mass, whereby the sum of protons and neutrons equals the mass of the isotope.

An example of an isotope is Carbon 12.

https://www.slideshare.net/lpoppick/isotopes-11351516?next_slideshow=1

There are two other isotopes of carbon that also exist.

https://www.slideshare.net/lpoppick/isotopes-11351516?next_slideshow=1

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 Since isotopes have distinct masses, we identify C isotopes in our samples by
measuring the mass of the carbon atoms. We use an instrument called a mass
spectrometer to make these measurements.

The symbol for a specific isotope of any element is written by placing the mass
number as a superscript to the left of the element symbol. The atomic number is
sometimes written as a subscript preceding the symbol, but since this number defines
the element’s identity, as does its symbol, it is often omitted.

For example, magnesium exists as a mixture of three isotopes, each with an

atomic number of 12 and with mass numbers of 24, 25, and 26, respectively. These
isotopes can be identified as 24Mg, 25Mg, and 26Mg. These isotope symbols are read
as “element, mass number” and can be symbolized consistent with this reading. For
instance, 24Mg is read as “magnesium 24,” and can be written as “magnesium-24” or
“Mg-24.” 25Mg is read as “magnesium 25,” and can be written as “magnesium-25” or
“Mg25.” All magnesium atoms have 12 protons in their nucleus. They differ only
because a 24Mg atom has 12 neutrons in its nucleus, a 25Mg atom has 13 neutrons,
and a 26Mg has 14 neutrons.

Every chemical element has one or more radioactive isotopes. For example,
hydrogen, the lightest element, has three isotopes with mass numbers 1, 2, and 3. Only
hydrogen-3 (tritium), however, is a radioactive isotope, the other two being stable. More
than 1,000 radioactive isotopes of the various elements are known. Approximately 50 of
these are found in nature; the rest are produced artificially as the direct products of
nuclear reactions or indirectly as the radioactive descendants of these products
(https://www.britannica.com/science/radioactive-isotope).

Useful Isotopes

Radioactive isotopes have many useful applications. In medicine, for example,

cobalt-60 is extensively employed as a radiation source to arrest the development of
cancer. Other radioactive isotopes are used as tracers for diagnostic purposes as well
as in research on metabolic processes. When a radioactive isotope is added in small
amounts to comparatively large quantities of the stable element, it behaves exactly the
same as the ordinary isotope chemically; it can, however, be traced with a Geiger
counter or other detection device. Iodine-131 has proved effective in treating
hyperthyroidism. Another medically important radioactive isotope is carbon-14, which is

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used in a breath test to detect the ulcer-causing bacteria Heliobacter pylori.
(https://www.britannica.com/science/radioactive-isotope).

In industry, radioactive isotopes of various kinds are used for measuring the
thickness of metal or plastic sheets; their precise thickness is indicated by the strength
of the radiations that penetrate the material being inspected. They also may be
employed in place of large X-ray machines to examine manufactured metal parts for
structural defects. Other significant applications include the use of radioactive isotopes
as compact sources of electrical power—e.g., plutonium-238 in spacecraft. In such
cases, the heat produced in the decay of the radioactive isotope is converted into
electricity by means of thermoelectric junction circuits or related devices
(https://www.britannica.com/science/radioactive-isotope).

Other examples of useful isotopes are aluminum-26, americium-241, bismuth-

213, calcium-42, calcium-44, californium-252, carbon-13, carbon-14, cesium-137,
cobalt-60, deuterium (hydrogen-2), fluorine-18, gold-198, iodine-125, iodine-131,
iridium-192, krypton-85, lead-206, nickel-62, nitrogen-14, nitrogen-15, oxygen-15,
oxygen-16, oxygen-18, phosphorus-82, plutonium-238, polonium-210, promethium-147,
rhenium188, rubidium-82, silicon-32, sodium-24, strontium-90, technetium-99m,
thorium-229, tritium (hydrogen-3), uranium-238, vanadium-5.

Molecular Formula
(https://www.slideshare.net/vxiiayah/writing -chemical-formulas-70255655)

A molecular formula (chemical formula) is a representation of a molecule that

uses chemical symbols to indicate the types of atoms followed by subscripts to show the
number of atoms of each type in the molecule. (A subscript is used only when more than
one atom of a given type is present.) Molecular formulas are also used as abbreviations
for the names of compounds.

For example, water, with the chemical formula of H 2O shows that there are 2
atoms of Hydrogen and 1 atom of Oxygen are present in each water molecule.

Steps in Writing a Chemical Formula

1. Chemical formula of an element is simply its symbol.

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 Examples: Magnesium – Mg Iron – Fe Phosphorus – P

The following elements are placed with the subscript 2 beside each symbol.
I2 O2 Cl2 Br2 N2 H2 F2
Iodine Oxygen Chlorine Bromine Nitrogen Hydrogen Fluorine
In October Children Buy Nasty Halloween Foods

2. The valency of an atom or ion is the number of electrons it shares, loses or gains
in a chemical reaction to become stable.
In the Periodic Table:
Group number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0
Valency 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0

3. Chemical formula of compounds

Example: Example:
Steps Sodium chloride Calcium bromide
1. Write symbols of elements present in Na Cl Ca Br
compound
2. Put valency above each symbol Na1 Cl1 Ca2Br1
3. Cross valency over (swap and drop) Na1Cl1 Ca1Br2
4. Cancel down ratio if necessary Not needed Not needed
5. Write correct chemical formula NaCl CaBr2

Some elements have more than one valency, so we use Roman Numerals
Valency 1 2 3 4 5 6
Roman Numeral: I II III IV V VI
Example: Example:
Steps Copper (II) chloride Iron (III) fluoride
1. Write symbols of elements present Cu Cl Fe F
in compound
2. Put valency above each symbol Cu2 Cl1 Fe3F1
3. Cross valency over (swap and drop) Cu1Cl2 Fe1F3
4. Cancel down ratio if necessary Not needed Not needed
5. Write correct chemical formula CuCl2 FeF3

Structural Formula
The structural formula for a compound gives the same information as its
molecular formula (the types and numbers of atoms in the molecule) but also shows
how the atoms are connected in the molecule.

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 The structural formula for methane contains symbols for one C atom and four H
atoms, indicating the number of atoms in the molecule. The lines represent bonds that
hold the atoms together. (A chemical bond is an attraction between atoms or ions that
holds them together in a molecule or a crystal.)

A methane molecule can be represented as (a) a molecular formula, (b) a

structural formula, (c) a balland- stick model, and (d) a space-filling model. Carbon and
hydrogen atoms are represented by black and white spheres, respectively.

Molecular Models of Chemicals

Chemicals, element or compounds can be represented in different models such

as the Lewis structure and 3D models.

How to draw Lewis Diagrams

(https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Supplemental_Modul
es_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Physical_Properties_of_Matter/Atomic_and_Molecular_Properties/Lewis_
Structures)

1. Determine the total number of valence electrons in the Example: NO3

molecule. This will be the sum of the group number of Atoms Valence
all atoms plus the charge. N 5
O (x3)
(6 x
3) =
18
Charge 1
Total 24
2. Draw a skeletal structure for the molecule which
connects all atoms using only single bonds. The
central atom will be the one that can form the greatest
number of bonds and/or expand its octet. This usually
means the atom lower and/or to the right in the
Periodic Table, N in this case.

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D. Now we need to add lone pairs of electrons. Of the 24
valence electrons available in NO3-, 6 were used to
make the skeletal structure. Add lone pairs of
electrons on the terminal atoms until their octet is
complete or you run out of electrons.

4. If there are remaining electrons they can be used to

complete the octet of the central atom. If you have run
out of electrons you are required to use lone pairs of
electrons from a terminal atom to complete the octet
on the central atom by forming multiple bond(s). In this
case the N is short 2 electrons so we can use a lone
pair from the left most O atom to form a double bond
and complete the octet on the N atom.

5. Now you need to determine the FORMAL

CHARGES for all of the atoms. The formal charge is
calculated by: (group number of atom) - (½ number of
bonding electrons) - (number of lone pair electrons),
i.e. see the figure below.

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 No Lewis structure is complete without the formal charges.
In general you want:
a. the fewest number of formal charges possible, i.e.
formal charges of 0 for as many of the atoms in a
structure as possible.
b. the formal charges should match the
electronegativity of the atom, that is negative
charges should be on the more electronegative
atoms and positive charges on the least
electronegative atoms if possible.
c. Charges of -1 and +1 on adjacent atoms can
usually be removed by using a lone pair of
electrons from the -1 atom to form a double (or
triple) bond to the atom with the +1 charge. Note:
the octet can be expanded beyond 8 electrons but
only for atoms in period 3 or below in the periodic
table. In our present example N can not expand
beyond 8 electrons so retains a formal charge of
+1, but the S atom below can expand its octet.

Computing Empirical Formula

(https://www.chem.tamu.edu/class/fyp/stone/tutorialnotefiles/fundamentals/empirical.htm)

Empirical Formula - a formula that gives the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in a
compound.

Steps for Determining an Empirical Formula

1. Start with the number of grams of each element, given in the problem.
o If percentages are given, assume that the total mass is 100 grams so that
the mass of each element = the percent given.

2. Convert the mass of each element to moles using the molar mass from the
periodic table.

3. Divide each mole value by the smallest number of moles calculated.

4. Round to the nearest whole number. This is the mole ratio of the elements
and is represented by subscripts in the empirical formula.
o If the number is too far to round (x.1 ~ x.9), then multiply each solution by
the same factor to get the lowest whole number multiple.
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 ➢ e.g. If one solution is 1.5, then multiply each solution in the problem by
2 to get 3.
➢ e.g. If one solution is 1.25, then multiply each solution in the problem
by 4 to get 5.

Once the empirical formula is found, the molecular formula for a compound
can be determined if the molar mass of the compound is known. Simply calculate
the mass of the empirical formula and divide the molar mass of the compound by the
mass of the empirical formula to find the ratio between the molecular formula and
the empirical formula. Multiply all the atoms (subscripts) by this ratio to find the
molecular formula.

Example:

NutraSweet is 57.14% C, 6.16% H, 9.52% N, and 27.18% O. Calculate the

empirical formula of NutraSweet and find the molecular formula. (The molar mass of
NutraSweet is 294.30 g/mol).
Start with the number of grams of each element, given in the
problem.

If percentages are given, assume that the total mass is

100 grams so that the mass of each element = the percent
given.
Convert the mass of each
element to moles using the
molar mass from the periodic
table

Divide each mole value by the

smallest number of moles
calculated. Round to the
nearest whole number.

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 This is the mole ratio of the
elements and is represented
by subscripts in the empirical
formula.

If the number is too far to

round (x.1 ~ x.9), then
multiply each solution by the
same
factor to get the lowest whole
number multiple.

What’s More!

A. Fill in the isotope names and any missing information in the chart. Use your periodic
table and the information provided. Assume all atoms are neutral.

___________ ____________
# of protons 25
# of neutrons 17 15
# of electrons
B. Complete the table.
Molecular Number of Atoms of Number of Atoms of Name of Compound
Formula First element Second Element
ClF
ClF5
CO
CO2
Cl2O
C. Examine the prefixes and the sample names of compounds with corresponding
chemical formula. Fill in the numerical value that corresponds to each prefix.
Prefix Numerical Value Molecular Formula Name of Compound
ono- BCl5 Boron trichloride
di- SF6 sulfur hexafluoride
tri- IF7 Iodine heptafluoride

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 tetra- NI3 Nitrogen triiodide
penta- N2O4 Dinitrogen tetraoxide
hexa- Cl2O Dichlorine oxide
hepta- P4O10 Tetraphoshorous decaoxide
octa- B5H9 Pentabromine nonaoxide
nona- Br3O8 Tribromine octoxide
deca- ClF Chlorine monofluoride

D. Name each of the following compounds.

Chemical Formula Chemical Name
PBR3
SCl4
N2F2

E. Write molecular formulas for the following compounds.

Molecular Formula Molecular Name
Disulfur decafluoride
Carbon tetrachloride
Oxygen difluoride

F. Determine the molecular formula for each compound whose percentage composition
is shown below.

1) 84.9% Hg and the remainder Cl, with a molecular weight of 472.2 g/mol.

2) 12.26% N, 3.54% H, 28.1% S, and 56.1% O. The molecular weight is 228.2

g/mol. The formula is known to contain the NH 4 + grouping. Write your formula
accordingly.

3) 71.5% Hg, 5.0% N, 17.1% O, and 6.4% H2O, with molecular weight of 561.2
g/mol

What I Have Learned

✓ Isotopes are variations of chemical elements that the same number of protons
but different numbers of neutrons.

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 ✓ The symbol for a specific isotope of any element is written by placing the mass
number as a superscript to the left of the element symbol.
✓ A molecular formula is a representation of a molecule that uses chemical
symbols to indicate the types of atoms followed by subscripts to show the
number of atoms of each type in the molecule.
✓ The structural formula for a compound gives the same information as its
molecular formula (the types and numbers of atoms in the molecule) but also
shows how the atoms are connected in the molecule.
✓ An empirical formula shows the composition of a compound which indicates the
types of atoms present and the simplest whole-number ratio of the number of
atoms (or ions) in the compound.
✓ Chemists use nomenclature rules to clearly name compounds. Ionic and
molecular compounds are named using somewhat-different methods. Binary
ionic compounds typically consist of a metal and a nonmetal. The name of the
metal is written first, followed by the name of the nonmetal with its ending
changed to –ide.

What I Can Do
Directions: List 5 compounds we use at home. In each compound, write
the chemical name and formula, and then draw its molecular structure.
Common Compound Chemical Name Formula Molecular Structure

Post Assessment

A. Fill in the isotope names and any missing information on the chart.
Use your periodic table and the information provided. Assume all atoms are neutral.

___________ ___________
# of protons 32
# of neutrons 30 32
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 # of electrons
B. Name each of the following compounds.
Chemical Formula Chemical Name
SO3
BrF
C. Write molecular formulas for the following compounds.
Molecular Formula Molecular Name
Dinitrogen trioxide
Tetraphosphorous heptasulfide

D. Determine the molecular formula for each compound whose percentage composition
is shown below.

1) 43% C and 57% O

2) 40.3% K, 26.7% Cr, and 33.0% O

Additional Activities

The Chernobyl Disaster

Adapted from: http://pulse.pharmacy.arizona.edu/math/chernobyl1.html

Directions: Read the article and answer the guide questions that follow.

The following information serves as an introduction to the horrific nuclear power

plant disaster at Chernobyl in the Ukraine, part of the former Soviet Union.

Background Information:

On April 28, 1986 at the Forsmark Nuclear Power Plant, which is 60 miles north of
Stockholm, Sweden, suddenly signs of abnormally high levels of radiation were found.
Up to five times the normal amount of radioactive emissions were found in the soil and
greenery around the plant. Even further north in Sweden and Finland, where rain and
snow were falling, the same disquieting signals were discovered. The original fear was

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that the Forsmark Plant was leaking radiation somehow. After extensive searches, the
scientists decided that the plant was not losing radiation. It had to be coming from
somewhere else!
Examining the wind patterns for those days, the wind had come up from the
Black Sea, across the Ukraine, across the Baltic Sea and into Scandinavia. In other
words, something terrible had happened in the Soviet Union, and the Soviet officials
were not telling anybody about it. That disaster was Chernobyl.
Due to a combination of the construction of the power plant and human error,
there was a melt down inside the reactor in Unit #4. The subsequent steam explosion
and fire blew the 1000-ton roof off the building and allowed radioactive material to
escape. How much radiation were those workers in direct proximity exposed to? At the
time of the explosion at Chernobyl, one source says that “on the roof of the destroyed
reactor building, radiation levels reached a frightening 100,000 R per hour!”
The number above means little, unless you put it in terms of normal radiation
exposure. According to a report from the National Council on Radiation Protection and
Measurements, the annual average effective dose equivalent received in the United
States is approximately 360 mrem (millirems) per person.
The most hazardous isotopes released in the Chernobyl incident were Cs-137,
I131, and Sr-90. These isotopes have half-lives sufficiently long to allow them to migrate
into the human body or, in the case of Iodine, have the tendency to accumulate in the
thyroid gland.
The plume from the burning graphite initially traveled in a northwest direction
toward Sweden, Finland and Eastern Europe, exposing the public to levels up to 100
times the normal background radiation. A very serious concern involves the
contamination of grain and dairy products from fallout. This contamination may cause
permanent internal contamination. Both Sr-90 and I-131 migrate to vital organs in the
body where they are impossible to remove, serving as a constant source of radiation
and a cause of cancer or other diseases.

Guide Questions:

1. What caused the environmental health problems that resulted from the incident?
(Hint: emission of radioactive isotopes).

2. What do you know about radioactive isotopes?

3. What are the harmful effects of Cesium 137, Iodine 131, and Strontium 90?

4. Imagine yourself in a European country on May 1st, 1986. Now write an essay about
Chernobyl including how you might feel giving specific details about the
contamination of your country.

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References:

Chemistry, 2012. What is the role of chemistry in everyday life? Retrieved

September 14, 2015, from
http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/whatrolechemistry-every-daylife-347472

slideplayer.com

https://www.slideserve.com/knut/physical-properties-of-matter

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 Development Team of the Module

Writer : Judima A. Sumayang

Content and Language Reviewer/ Evaluator : Carmencita B. Lopez
EPS in Science
Book Design/Format/ Layout Evaluator / Reviewer : Merly J. Omambac
EPS in LRMDS
Layout Artist/Division Illustrator : Benigno S. Gonzaga
Management Team
Schools Division Superintendent : Rosalie M. Pasaol EdD, CESO V
Asst. Schools Division Superintendent : Lorenzo M. Dizon, CESO VI
Chief Education Supervisor, CID : Genda P. de Gracia EdD
Chief Education Supervisor, SGOD : Ann Marie C. Bandola EdD
Education Program Supervisor, LRMDS : Merly J. Omambac
Education Program Supervisor, Science : Carmencita B. Lopez

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