WRITING OF FORMULAS
CHEMICAL FORMULA – group of symbols which is used to describe
the relative number of atoms of different elements present in a
substance.
RULES IN WRITING FOMULAS OF COMPOUNDS:
1.) Element or radical with positive valence is written first
followed by element or radical with negative valence.
2.) The compound must have a net charge of zero
3.) Radicals that are to be taken more than once, are enclosed in
parentheses.
4.) Whenever necessary, reduce subscripts to simpler set of
subscripts.
STRATEGY:
Crisscross the charge of the cation with the charge of the anion to
balance their charges.
NOMENCLATURE OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS
I.BINARY COMPOUNDS – contain only 2 elements
- With very few exceptions, the more positive (the more
metallic) element is named first
a) Containing metal & a non-metal
- Metallic element followed by non-metallic element+ide
- Examples:
BaCl2 - barium chloride
Na2S - sodium sulfide
b) Containing 2 non-metals
- named using Greek prefixes to indicate the number of
atoms of each element present
- prefix mono is usually omitted
1
Commonly used Greek prefixes:
mono - 1 penta - 5 nona - 9
di - 2 hexa - 6 deca - 10
tri - 3 hepta - 7
tetra - 4 octa - 8
Examples:
SO3 - sulfur trioxide
CCl4 - carbon tetrachloride
c) Containing metals with variable valences or oxidation
numbers
2 methods:
1) Stock Method
Metallic element followed by a Roman numeral
enclosed in parentheses, then non-metal+ide
Examples:
FeCl2 - iron (II) chloride
SnS - tin (II) sulfide
2) Classical Method
Stem of metallic element + ous (lower oxidation
number)/ ic (higher oxidation number), then non-
metallic element+ide
Examples:
FeCl2 - ferrous chloride FeCl3 - ferric chloride
SnS - stannous sulfide SnS2 - stannic sulfide
d) Containing hydrogen
Gas
- Hydrogen first followed by anion + ide
Examples:
HBr - Hydrogen Bromide
HCl - Hydrogen Chloride
2
Binary Acids (Non-oxy acids)
- Hydro followed by stem of second element +ide then
acid
Examples:
HBr(aq) - hydrobromic acid
HCl(aq) - hydrochloric acid
I. TERNARY COMPOUNDS
a) Metallic element with fixed oxidation number & a polyatomic
ion
- Metallic element first then polyatomic ion
Examples:
AlPO4 - aluminum phosphate
KNO3 - potassium nitrate
b) Metallic element with variable oxidation number & a
polyatomic ion
1) Stock System
Metallic element first followed by Roman numeral in
parentheses then polyatomic ion
2) Classical Method
Stem of metallic element + ous/ic then polyatomic ion
Examples:
Stock System Classical Method
FeSO4 - Iron (II) sulfate Ferrous sulfate
Fe2(SO4)3 - Iron (III) sulfate Ferric sulfate
c)Bases
- Metallic element then OH as the polyatomic ion
Examples:
Mg(OH)2 - magnesium hydroxide
NaOH - sodium hydroxide
3
c) Ternary Acids (Oxy-acids)
a) If polyatomic ion ends in ite, name stem of central atom + ous
then the word acid
b) If polyatomic ion ends in ate, name stem of central atom + IC
then the word acid
Examples:
SO3-2 - sulfite - H2SO3(aq) - sulfurous acid
SO4-2 - sulfate - H2SO4(aq) - sulfuric acid
NO2-1 - nitrite - HNO2(aq) - nitrous acid
NO3-1 - nitrate - HNO3(aq) - nitric acid
USES OF CHEMICAL FORMULA:
1.) In the determination of atomic composition.
2.) In the determination of composition by weight.
3.) In the determination of the molecular weight.
4.) In writing chemical equations.
KINDS OF FORMULA:
1.) Empirical Formula – simplest formula which tells us the types
of atoms present and their relative numbers.
2.) Molecular Formula – based on the actual number of atoms of
the molecules in the compound.
Example: Empirical Formula
CH2O
Examples: Molecular Formula
Acetic acid (acid in vinegar) – C2H4O2
Glucose (blood sugar) –C6H12O6
3.) Structural Formula – shows the order in which atoms are
bonded together in the molecule and the type of bonds.
