Lesson Content

DIFFERENTIATE ATOMS, MOLECULES, COMPOUNDS AND IONS

Atoms – are tiny particle of a chemical element, composed of smaller particles called subatomic

particles. They are held together by nuclear bond. It can combine chemically together to form

molecules.

Molecules – electrically neutral group of two or more atoms and can be made from one or more

elements.

Compounds – a group of atoms composed of two or more elements in a fixed ratio.

Molecular compound – compounds held together by chemical bonds

Ions – charged particles, they are atoms or molecules that acquire charges by the loss or gain of

electrons.

Ionic compounds – compounds held together by ionic bonding

Let’s determine whether the following are compounds, molecules or ions:

a. Fluorine gas (F2) – molecule; it is a molecule since it is composed of two atoms, but it is

not a compound since it only contains one element

(d) Ionic compound

b. Lithium fluoride (LiF) – compound; since it is composed of more than one atom and more

than one element

c. Cr3+ - ion (cation); it is an ion since it is a charged particle.

For the ions, the number of electrons lost or gained in forming these ions is equal to the number

written in the superscript. For example, NH4+ has one electron lost, + means an electron is given

away; CO32- has 2 electrons gained, - means an electron is added/gained.

Chemical Formulas

Chemical formulas are expressions that show the component elements of a compound are combine.

It uses symbols of elements and whole numbers to express the proportions of each element present

in the compound. The subscript to the right of the symbol of an element tells the number of atoms

of that element in one molecule of the compound.

Types of Formulas

Empirical formulas give the lowest whole-number ratio of

atoms of each element in a compound.

 Molecular formulas give the exact number of atoms of each

element in a compound. If we know the molecular formula of a

compound, we can determine its empirical formula. Just divide

the subscript of the molecular formula by the largest whole

number integer.

 Structural formulas show the order in which atoms are

attached. They do NOT depict the three-dimensional shape of

molecules.

 Perspective drawings show the three-dimensional order of

the atoms in a compound. These are also demonstrated using

models.

For example, write the molecular and empirical formulas of the given compounds:

a. Acetylene, a gas used in welding torches. It has 2 Carbon and 2 Hydrogen atoms in a

molecule.

Molecular: C2H2 Empirical: CH

b. Glucose, the sugar in the blood has 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms and 6 oxygen

atoms.

Molecular: C6H12O6 Empirical: CH2O