R e ac t i n g m a s s e s , a n d c h e m i c a l e q u at i o n s

5.1 The names and formulae of compounds

The names of compounds
Many compounds contain just two elements. If you know which elements
they are, you can usually name the compound. Just follow these rules:
 
When the compound contains a metal and a non-metal:
– 
the name of the metal is given first
– 
and then the name of the non-metal, but ending with -ide.
Examples: sodium chloride, magnesium oxide, iron sulfide.

 
When the compound is made of two non-metals:
– 
if one is hydrogen, that is named first
– 
otherwise the one with the lower group number comes first
– 
and then the name of the other non-metal, ending with -ide.   That very common compound, water.
Examples: hydrogen chloride, carbon dioxide. Your body is full of it. Which elements
does it contain?
But some compounds have ‘everyday’ names that give you no clue about
the elements in them. Water, methane, and ammonia are examples.
You just have to remember their formulae!

Finding formulae from the structure of compounds

Every compound has a formula as well as a name. The formula is made
up of the symbols for the elements, and often has numbers too.
The formula of a compound is related to its structure. For example:

silicon
atom
sodium ion
oxygen
chloride ion atom

Sodium chloride forms a giant Water is made up of molecules Silicon dioxide (silica) forms a
structure with one sodium ion for in which two hydrogen atoms giant structure in which there are
every chloride ion. So its formula are bonded to an oxygen atom. two oxygen atoms for every silicon
is NaCl. So its formula is H2O. atom. So its formula is SiO2.

Note the difference:

 
In giant structures like sodium chloride and silicon dioxide, the
formula tells you the ratio of the ions or atoms in the compound.
 
In a molecular compound, the formula tells you exactly how many
atoms are bonded together in each molecule.

Valency
But you don’t need to draw the structure of a compound to work out its
formula. You can work it out quickly if you know the valency of the elements:
The valency of an element is the number of electrons its atoms lose,
gain or share, to form a compound.

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Look at this table. (You can check the groups in the Periodic Table on
page 31.)

Elements In forming a compound, So the valency of the Examples of compounds formed

the atoms … element is … (those in blue are covalent, with shared
electrons)

Group I lose 1 electron 1 sodium chloride, NaCl

Group II lose 2 electrons 2 magnesium chloride, MgCl2

Group III lose 3 electrons 3 aluminium chloride, AlCl3

Group IV share 4 electrons 4 methane, CH4

Group V gain or share 3 electrons 3 ammonia, NH3

Group VI gain or share 2 electrons 2 magnesium oxide, MgO; water, H2O

Group VII gain or share 1 electron 1 sodium chloride, NaCl; hydrogen chloride, HCl

Group 0 (do not form compounds) – none

hydrogen lose or share 1 electron 1 hydrogen bromide, HBr

transition can lose different numbers variable iron (II) chloride, FeCl2; iron (III) chloride, FeCl3
elements of electrons copper (I) chloride, CuCl; copper (II) chloride, CuCl2

Writing formulae using valencies

This is how to write the formula of a compound, using valencies:
1 Write down the valencies of the two elements.
2 Write down their symbols, in the same order as the elements in the name.
3 Add numbers after the symbols if you need to, to balance the valencies.

Example 1  What is the formula of hydrogen sulfide?

1 Valencies: hydrogen, 1; sulfur (Group VI), 2
2 HS (valencies not balanced)
3 The formula is H2S (2 3 1 and 2, so the valencies are now balanced)

Example 2  What is the formula of aluminium oxide?

1 Valencies: aluminium (Group III), 3; oxygen (Group VI), 2
2 AlO (valencies not balanced)
3 The formula is Al2O3 (2 3 3 and 3 3 2, so the valencies are now   Hydrogen sulfide is a very poisonous
balanced) colourless gas. It smells of rotten eggs.

Writing formulae by balancing charges

In an ionic compound, the total charge is zero. So you can also work out
the formula of an ionic compound by balancing the charges on its ions.
To find out how to do this, turn to Unit 4.4.

Q
The Periodic Table on page 31 will help you with these.
1 Write the chemical name for water (ending in -ide).
2 Name the compounds containing only these elements:
a sodium and fluorine  b  fluorine and hydrogen
c sulfur and hydrogen  d  bromine and beryllium
3 Why does silica have the formula SiO2?
4 Decide whether this formula is correct. If it is not correct,
write it correctly.
a HBr2 b ClNa c Cl3Ca d Ba2O
5 Write the correct formula for barium iodide.
6 See if you can give a name and formula for a compound
that forms when phosphorus reacts with chlorine.

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5.2 Equations for chemical reactions

Equations for two sample reactions
1 
The reaction between carbon and oxygen   When carbon is heated
in oxygen, they react together to form carbon dioxide. Carbon and Note !
Reactants are sometimes called
oxygen are the reactants. Carbon dioxide is the product.
reagents.
You could show the reaction using a diagram, like this:

 O O O O
1 atom of 1 molecule of 1 molecule of
carbon oxygen carbon dioxide

or by a word equation, like this:

carbon 1 oxygen    carbon dioxide
or by a symbol equation, which gives symbols and formulae:
C 1 O2    CO2

2 
The reaction between hydrogen and oxygen  Hydrogen
and oxygen react together to give water. The diagram is:

HH HH  O O O H O H
H H
2 molecules of 1 molecule of 2 molecules of
hydrogen oxygen water

and you can use it to write the symbol equation:

2H2 1 O2    2H2O

Symbol equations must be balanced

Now look at the number of atoms on each side of this equation:
 2H2 1 O2 2H2O

On the left: On the right:

4 hydrogen atoms 4 hydrogen atoms
2 oxygen atoms 2 oxygen atoms

The number of each type of atoms is the same on both sides of the arrow.
This is because atoms do not disappear during a reaction – they are just
rearranged, as shown in the diagram of the molecules, in 2 above.
When the number of each type of atom is the same on both sides, the
symbol equation is balanced. If it is not balanced, it is not correct.

Adding state symbols

Reactants and products may be solids, liquids, gases, or in solution.
You can show their states by adding state symbols to the equations:
(s) for solid (l) for liquid
(g) for gas (aq) for aqueous solution (solution in water)
  The reaction between hydrogen and
For the two reactions above, the equations with state symbols are:
oxygen gives out so much energy that it
C (s) 1 O2 (g) CO2 (g) is used to power rockets. The reactants
2H2 (g) 1 O2 (g) 2H2 O (l) are carried as liquids in the fuel tanks.
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How to write the equation for a reaction

These are the steps to follow, when writing an equation:
1 Write the equation in words.
2 Now write it using symbols. Make sure all the formulae are correct.
3 Check that the equation is balanced, for each type of atom in turn.
Make sure you do not change any formulae.
4 Add the state symbols.

Example 1  Calcium burns in chlorine to form calcium chloride, a solid.

Write an equation for the reaction, using the steps above.
1 calcium 1 chlorine calcium chloride
2 Ca 1 Cl2 CaCl2
3 Ca: 1 atom on the left and 1 atom on the right.
Cl: 2 atoms on the left and 2 atoms on the right.
The equation is balanced.
  Calcium chloride absorbs water, so it
4 Ca (s) 1 Cl2 ( g) CaCl2 (s) is used to dry gases. The glass cylinder
above is packed with calcium chloride,
Example 2  Hydrogen chloride is formed by burning hydrogen in
and the gas is piped up through it.
chlorine. Write an equation for the reaction.
1 hydrogen 1 chlorine hydrogen chloride
2 H2 1 Cl2 HCl
3 H: 2 atoms on the left and 1 atom on the right.
Cl: 2 atoms on the left and 1 atom on the right.
The equation is not balanced. It needs another molecule of hydrogen
chloride on the right. So a 2 is put in front of the HCl.
H2 1 Cl2    2HCl
The equation is now balanced. Do you agree?
4 H2 ( g) 1 Cl2 ( g) 2HCl ( g)

Example 3  Magnesium burns in oxygen to form magnesium oxide,

a white solid. Write an equation for the reaction.
1 magnesium 1 oxygen magnesium oxide
2 Mg 1 O2 MgO
3 Mg: 1 atom on the left and 1 atom on the right.
O:   2 atoms on the left and 1 atom on the right.
The equation is not balanced. Try this:
Mg 1 O2 2MgO (The 2 goes in front of the MgO.)
Another magnesium atom is now needed on the left:
2Mg 1 O2 2MgO
The equation is balanced.
4 2Mg (s) 1 O2 (g) 2MgO (s)   Magnesium burning in oxygen.

Q
1 What do 1 and mean, in an equation? d NH3 (g) N2 (g) 1 H2 (g)
2 Balance the following equations: e C (s) 1 CO2 (g) CO (g)
a Na (s) 1 Cl2 (g) NaCl (s) f Al (s) 1 O2 (g) Al2O3 (s)
b H2 (g) 1 I2 (g) HI (g) 3 Aluminium burns in chlorine to form aluminium chloride,
c Na (s) 1 H2O (l) NaOH (aq) 1 H2 (g) AlCl3, a solid. Write a balanced equation for the reaction.

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