H2O

LESSON 3.4
Naming and Writing
Chemical Formula

1
 Formulas
Formulas are combinations of symbols
that represent a compound. A formula
indicates which elements are involved
and the number of atoms of each element
contained in the compound.

2
 In writing formulas, we use subscripts, and
parentheses in addition to the symbols of
the elements.
 Subscripts indicate the number of atoms of
an element, as in H2 where two is the
subscript meaning two hydrogen atoms. If
there is no subscript with a symbol, it is
assumed there is only one atom of that
element.

H2 Subscript
3
Parentheses or brackets are used to
separate a radical/ polyatomic ion from
the rest of the formula when it would
be confusing.

Example: Fe2 (CO3)3

4
 Steps in Formula Writing
IONIC COMPOUNDS

1. Determine the symbols for

the elements in a
compound. 5
K
Na

Ca
M
g
6
2. Determine the charge
of each of the atoms.

7
 IONS
Cations Anions
Positively Negatively
Charged Atoms Charged Atoms
+ -
i.e. Na i.e. Cl
IONIC CHARGES
Group I -> 1+

Group II -> 2+

Group III -> 3+

Group IV -> 4+
Group V -> 3-

Group VI -> 2-

Group VII -> 1-

Group VIII -> Noble Gases

K +
1
Na + 1
Ca + 2
Mg + 2
11
3. Always name the metal ion first.
Name the nonmetal ion second.
If the anion is a monatomic ion, the anion
is named by adding the suffix -ide to the
root of the element name (e.g., I- =
"iodide").For example:
chlorine is changed to chloride
phosphorus is changed to phosphide
oxygen is changed to oxide
 Criss-cross Method

There is a short cut for writing formulas for

ionic compounds, called the crisscross method.
It is an easy way to get the subscripts right for
each ion, although not the most scientific
method!
EXAMPLES
+1 -1

15
+1 -1

16
+2 -1

17
 Sodium Chloride
write
symbo
chloride
l

Remember
charge
Cross the
charge
N aC l
18
Potassium Hydroxide
write
symbo hydroxide
l
Remember
charge

Cross the
charge
KO H
19
Potassium chloride
write
symbo
l

Remember
charge
Cross the
charge
KCl
20
 Calcium oxide
write
symbo
l

Remember
charge
Cross the
charge
C aO
21
 Iron(II) Oxide
write
symbo
oxide
l
Remember
charge

Cross the
charge
FeO
22
 Rule 4: All radicals take more
than once( the subscript is 2 or
more) must be enclosed in
Brackets().
Example:
Ammonium Sulfate~~ NH4+1 SO4-2-----(NH4)2 SO4

23
Rules for Naming Ionic Compounds
Containing Polyatomic Ions
Polyatomic ions are ions which consist of more
than one atom. For example, nitrate ion, NO3-,
contains one nitrogen atom and three oxygen
atoms.

The atoms in a polyatomic ion are usually

covalently bonded to one another, and
therefore stay together as a single, charged
unit.
Rule 2. When the formula unit
contains two or more of
the same polyatomic ion, that ion is
written in parentheses with the subscript
written outside the parentheses.
Note: parentheses and a subscript
are not used unless more than one of a
polyatomic ion is present in the formula
unit (e.g., the formula unit for calcium
sulfate is "CaSO4" not "Ca(SO4)").
Rule 3. If the cation is a metal ion with a
fixed charge, the name of the cation is
the same as the (neutral) element from
which it is derived (e.g., Na+ = "sodium")..
The transition metals may form more than one ion, thus
it is needed to be specified which particular ion we are
talking about.
This is indicated by assigning a Roman numeral after the
metal.
The Roman numeral denotes the charge and the
oxidation state of the transition metal ion. For example,
iron can form two common ions, Fe2+ and Fe3+. To
distinguish the difference, Fe2+ would be named iron (II)
and Fe3+ would be named iron (III).
 Table of Transition Metal and Metal Cations:

+1 Charge +2 Charge +3 Charge +4 Charge

Copper(I): Cu+ Copper(II): Cu2+ Aluminum: Al3+ Lead(IV): Pb4+

Silver: Ag+ Iron(II): Fe2+ Iron(III): Fe3+ Tin(IV): Sn4+

Cobalt(II): Co2+ Cobalt(III): Co3+

Tin(II): Sn2+

Lead(II): Pb2+

Nickel: Ni2+

Zinc: Zn2+
Rule 4. If the anion is a monatomic ion, the
anion is named by adding the suffix -ide to
the root of the element name (e.g., I- =
"iodide").

Note: Greek prefixes are not used to indicate

the number of atoms, or polyatomic ions, in
the formula unit for the compound (e.g.,
Ca(NO3)2 is named "calcium nitrate" not
"calciuim dinitrate").
Polyatomic Ions
A polyatomic ion is a group of atoms with an
overall ionic charge.
NH4+ ammonium OH− hydroxide
NO3− nitrate NO2− nitrite
CO32− carbonate PO43− phosphate
HCO3− hydrogen carbonate (or bicarbonate)
PRACTICE
 Ammonium Oxide
write
symbo
l

Remember
charge
Cross the
charge (NH
4)2O
35
 Iron(lll) Sulfate
write
symbo
Sulphat
l e
Remember
charge

Cross the
charge Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3
36
 Iron(lll) Carbonate
write
symbo
Carbonat
l e
Remember
charge
Cross the
charge Fe 2 (CO 3 ) 3
37
Ammonium Sulfate
write Sulphate
symbol
Rememb
er charge
Cross the
charge (NH
4 ) 2 SO 4 38
Ammonium
Carbonate
write
symbol
Rememb
er charge
Cross the
charge (NH 4 ) 2 CO 3
39
 Sodium hydroxide
write
symbo
l

Remember
charge
Cross the
charge
N aO H
40
 Practice:
Write the chemical formula of
the following compound

1.ammonium chloride
NH4Cl
silver bromide
AgBr
cobalt (II) carbonate
CoCO3
calcium bromide
CaBr2
zinc carbonate
ZnCO₃
ammonium oxide
(NH4) 2O
ammonium sulfate
(NH₄)₂SO₄
titanium (III) bromide
TiBr3
beryllium bicarbonate
Be(HCO3) 2
 
chromium (VI)
phosphate
Cr(PO4)2
 
Name the following
ionic compounds:
1.NH4F
Ammonium fluoride 
Zn3P2
zinc phosphide 
Ag3PO4
Silver phosphate 
Pb3N2
Lead(II) Nitride
Mn(NO3)4
Manganese(IV)
Nitrate 
BaCl2
Barium Chloride
Al2Se3
Aluminum selenide
RbI
Rubidium iodide
NaNO3
Sodium Nitrate
Na2CO3
Sodium Carbonate
Mg3(PO4)2
Magnesium phosphate
AlPO3
Aluminum phosphate
 Naming Covalent
Compounds
When it is all NONMETALS
Diatomic Elements
Gases that exist as diatomic molecules
are H2, N2 F2, O2, I2 Cl2, Br2,
They are simply given their elements
name.
Exist this way only when not in
compounds
 Naming Covalent Compounds

Two nonmetals
Name each element
End the last element in -ide
Add prefixes to show more than 1
atom
Number of Atoms Prefix
1 mono-
2 di-
3 tri-
4 tetra-
5 penta-
6 hexa-
7 hepta-
8 octa-
9 nona-
10 deca-
Fill in the blanks to complete the following
names of covalent compounds.
CO -carbon monoxide
CO2 – carbon dioxide
PCl3 –phosphorous trichloride
CCl4 - carbon tetrachloride
N2O -dinitrogen monoxide
 Write the formulas of the
following covalent compounds
diphosphorus pentoxide
dihydrogen dioxide
sulfur dioxide
carbon tetrachloride
pentacarbon dioxide
silicon hexachloride
diphosphorus monobromide
selenium trioxide
 Write the formulas of the
following covalent compounds
tetraphosphorus pentasulfide-P4S5
selenium hexafluoride- SeF6
sulfur tetrachloride- SCl4
nitrogen trifluoride- NF3
hexaboron silicide- B6Si
iodine pentafluoride – IF5
disilicon hexabromide- Si2Br6
Naming Acids
Formulas of Acids

An acid is a substance that when dissolved in

water, dissociates or breaks apart into a
hydrogen ion (H+) and an anion.
Acids always have hydrogen as the first
element in the formula,
Naming Binary Acids
Binary acids contain only two elements,
hydrogen and a monatomic anion whose name
ends in the suffix -ide.
To name a binary acid like HCl
Begin the name with the prefix hydro-
Next use the root of the second elements
name, e.g. chlor
Replace the suffix of the anion with the
suffix -ic
Add the word acid
HCl is hydrochloric acid
 Examples
Hf hydrofluoric acid
H2S hydrosulfuric acid
HBr hydrobromic acid
H2O
Hydroiodic acid=HI
Hydronitric acid HN
Hydroselenic acid= H2Se
 Ternary Acids
Ternary acids contain three elements, with hydrogen
being the first element in the formula and oxygen being
the last.
To name a ternary acid such as H2SO4
Remove the hydrogen ion(s) and determine the
formula of the anion
Replace the suffix
-ate becomes -ic acid
-ite becomes -ous acid

H2SO4 anion SO42- sulfuric acid

 Examples
HClO4 - Perchloric acid
H3PO4 - Phosphoric acid 
HNO3 - Nitric acid
HNO2 - Nitrous acid
HClO2 - Chlorous acid 
H2CO3 - Carbonic acid
THANK YOU