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Science 2&3 Symbols
Science 2&3 Symbols
Symbols are a kind of shorthand system for writing down elements and
compounds. Each element has a particular one or two letter symbol. The first
letter of a symbol is always capital, and if there is a second letter, e.g. Mg
(magnesium), this is written in lower case.
A complete set of symbols is found in a periodic table. The following table lists
some common elements, their symbols, and their physical state at room
temperature and pressure.
gas
Oxygen
gas
Chlorine
Cl
gas
Mercury
Hg
liquid
Gold
Au
solid
Silver
Ag
solid
Molecules
Atoms of elements usually join up either with atoms of the same element or with
atoms of different elements to form molecules. In both cases the atoms are
chemically bound together. On the other hand there are elements whose atoms
are not found as molecules but as single atoms. These elements are said to be
monatomic, e.g. He, helium; Ne, neon; Kr, krypton; Xe, xenon. Elements
whose atoms are found joined up in twos as molecules are called diatomic, e.g.
Cl2, chlorine; O2, oxygen; N2, nitrogen.
Atoms of one element may join up with atoms of another element to form a new
substance. These are called compounds. For example, one atom of oxygen
binds chemically with two atoms of hydrogen to form a molecule of water. Water
is a compound made up of oxygen and hydrogen.
Chemical formulae
When we are talking about molecules of compounds we do not write symbols
for them, but we write chemical formulae. Taking water as an example, since
Symbols
Nitrate
NaNO3, Cu(NO3)2
NO2
Nitrite
NaNO2, Cu(NO2)2
CO3
Carbonate
Na2CO3, K2CO3
HCO3
Hydrogencarbonate
NaHCO3, Mg(HCO3)2
SO4
Sulfate
CaSO4, (NH4)2SO4
SO3
Sulfite
MgSO3, K2SO3
HSO4
Hydrogensulfate
Mg(HSO4)2, Ca(HSO4)2
NH4
Ammonium
NH4Cl, (NH4)2CO3
OH
Hydroxide
NaOH, KOH
PO4
Phosphate
AlPO4, Mg3(PO4)2
Cl
Chloride
NaCl, CuCl2
Sulfide
ZnS, FeS
Oxide
MgO, CO2
Symbols
Note that when looking at the names of compounds there are certain trends in
the endings. For example, the ending -ate indicates a radical containing
oxygen, e.g. sodium hydrogencarbonate (NaHCO3), magnesium sulfate
(MgSO4).
The ending -ide indicates the presence of two elements only, e.g. sodium
chloride (NaCl), potassium iodide (KI).
Valency
But how are we going to decide what is the ratio of atoms combined in a
compound. This is decided by the valency of an element.
For example, hydrogen has a valency of 1; chlorine has a valency of 1 as well.
So hydrogen (H) and chlorine (Cl) will combine to form a molecule of hydrogen
chloride in a ratio of 1 hydrogen atom : 1 chlorine atom. The chemical formula
will therefore be HCl.
One has to remember the valencies of the most common elements. A help to
remember this is to know which Group in the Periodic table the element is
found in.
For example, sodium is in Group 1 and has a valency of 1. Magnesium is in
Group 2 and has a valency of 2. Aluminium is in Group 3 and has a valency of
3. Carbon is in Group 4 and has a valency of 4. This rule has to be changed a
bit when it comes to Groups 5, 6 and 7.
For these groups, the valency is equal to the number of electrons required to
achieve an outer shell of 8 electrons which is stable.
For Group 5 elements, they have 5 outer electrons and hence need 3 to achieve
a noble gas configuration, and so their valency is 3. The same is done for
Groups 6 and 7, whose elements have valencies of 2 and 1 respectively. For
more notes about valency refer to Topic 6.
Also,
i. there are some elements that have variable valencies, i.e. they may have
more than one valency. This is a property of the transition metals, e.g. Copper
has can have a valency of either 1 or 2; iron may have a valency of either 2 or 3;
ii. even radicals have valencies (see Table 3 below);
Symbols
iii. noble gases, i.e. the elements found in Group 8 or Group O have a valency of
0.
Table 3: Valencies of radicals
Radical
Symbol Valency
Hydroxide
OH
Chloride
Cl
Nitrate
NO3
Hydrogencarbonate HCO3
Hydrogensulfate
HSO4
Ammonium
NH4
Oxide
Carbonate
CO3
Sulfate
SO4
Sodium
Magnesium
Calcium
Carbon
Oxygen
Iron
2 or 3
Symbols
2. Note the valencies of the atoms and/or radicals making up the compound.
Al - valency 3
Cl - valency 1
3. The valencies need to be balanced if they are not balanced already.
Al - valency 3: one ion is needed (resulting valency = 3)
Cl - valency 1: three ions are needed (resulting valency 1 x 3 = 3)
4. Therefore for every aluminium ion there is, there have to be three chlorine
ions.
5. Resulting chemical formula: AlCl3
Chemical equations
Chemical equations represent what happens in chemical reactions. One can
also represent what is happening in a chemical reaction by use of word
equations, e.g.
iron + sulphur
iron sulfide
On the left hand side of the equation, one writes the reactant/s, i.e. the
substances that actively react in the reaction.
Symbols
On the right hand side of the equation, one writes the product/s, i.e. the
substances produced as a result of the reaction.
The above is called a WORD EQUATION because words are used to show what
is happening.
A more accurate and scientific way of showing what happens in a chemical
reaction, is to use symbols for elements and chemical formulae instead of
words.
Hence for the reaction above, we can write,
Fe + S
FeS
We can also add the symbols that show the physical state for each substance,
Fe(s) + S(s)
FeS(s)
Now, one must see that the number of atoms of an element (or radical) on
the left hand side must equal those on the right hand side.
For the above equation, this is so, and hence the chemical equation is all
right.
But what about the next one ?
Zn(s) + HCl(aq)
ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)
Note that for Zn, the number of atoms on the left hand side balance those
on the right hand side, but not so for Cl and H.
For the equation to be balanced, there must be two HCl molecules on the left
hand side, and the equation becomes:
Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq)
ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)
Note that the 2" is written IN FRONT of the molecule and not anywhere
else.
REMEMBER THIS !
Numbers in chemical formulae and equations:
A,B are the elements or radicals and X is a number.
Symbols
AX, BX: means that there are x atoms of A and X of B in a molecule; e.g.
Cl2, O2, Na2O, AlCl3.
(AB)X: means that there x radicals of AB in a molecule, e.g. (NH4)2SO4,
Al(OH)3, Al2(CO3)3.
X AB: means that there are X molecules of AB, e.g. 2 NaCl, 3 MgCO3.
NOTE: When balancing chemical equations, sometimes it is easier to multiply
the whole equation, rather than have a fraction, e.g.
KClO3
KClO3
2 KClO3
Example:
Find the empirical formula of hydrogen peroxide if 0.04g of hydrogen react with
0.64g of oxygen to form hydrogen peroxide.
Atoms present: H O
Masses given: H - 0.04g
Symbols
O - 0.64g
To find the empirical formula we have to obtain a ratio of moles.
Number of moles of hydrogen in 0.04g:1g of hydrogen molecules contains 1 mole of hydrogen atoms
0.04g of hydrogen molecules contains ? moles of hydrogen atoms
0.04 x 1 / 1 = 0.04 moles
Number of moles of oxygen in 0.64g:16g of oxygen molecules contain 1 mole of oxygen molecules
0.64g of oxygen molecules contain ? moles of oxygen molecules
0.64 x 1 / 16 = 0.04 moles
Therefore the ratio of moles of hydrogen reacting with moles of oxygen to
given hydrogen peroxide is 0.04:0.04 or 1:1
Therefore the empirical formula is HO
Another way to calculate the empirical formula is shown in the following
example.
Example:
Sodium sulfate has the following composition by mass: Na 32.4%, S 22.5%, and
O 45.1%. What is the empirical formula question
Na
% composition
32.4
22.5
45.1
Divide by RAM
32.4/23
22.5/32
45.1/16
=0.70
=2.82
=1
=4
Symbols
Note that for the final division answers may not be whole numbers. In this
case round them to the nearest whole or half.
Symbols
SO2(g)
Example:
Symbols
10
How much magnesium oxide will be produced when 48g of magnesium are
burned in excess of oxygen. (RAM: Mg = 24; O = 16)
2 Mg(s) + O2(g)
2 MgO(s)
2 moles of MgO
2 x (24 + 16)
80g
Therefore when 48g of Mg react with excess O2, 80g of MgO are produced.
Example:
Calculate the mass of zinc required to produce 81g of zinc oxide when heated
in excess of oxygen. (RAM: Zn = 65; O = 16)
2 Zn(s) + O2(g)
2 moles of Zn + excess O2
2 x 65 + excess O2
130g + excess O2
2 ZnO(s)
2 moles ZnO
2 x (65+16)
162g
But we want to find out the mass of Zn required to produce 81g of ZnO and not
162g.
Therefore, 162g of ZnO are produced by 130g of Zn
81g of ZnO are produced by ? of Zn
= 130 x 81
162
= 65g of Zn
Symbols
11