H EM ICA L

IN G TH E C
AND N AM
WRITIN G PO U ND S
LA O F C O M
FOR M U
S
lE SO N 6
 WHAT IS CHEMICAL FORMULA,
CHEMICAL NAME AND STRUCTURAL
FORMULA?
chemical formula as a symbolic expression of a
compound or substance. It is also defined as shorthand
of expressing the types and the number of atoms in a
substance. Chemical name is the scientific name given
to a chemical in accordance with the nomenclature
system developed by the International Union of Pure
and Applied Chemistry. While structural formula is a
graphical representation of the molecular structure
showing how the atoms are possibly arranged in the
real three-dimensional space.
 COMPOUND
This is a substance which is made up of
two or more atoms joined together by a
chemical bond. Compounds may be
classified into two based from the nature
of the atoms that make up them, and the
type of intramolecular bond that exist
between atoms.
 COMPOUND
The two classification of compounds are ionic
compound and covalent compound. The ionic compound
is formed between a metal atom and a nonmetal atom,
and the type of intramolecular bond exist between atoms
is ionic bond due to the presence of ionic charges.
Example of this is sodium chloride which is made up of
metal sodium and nonmetal chlorine.
 COMPOUND
The covalent compound is formed between two or more
nonmetal atoms, and the type of intramolecular bond
that exist between atoms is covalent bond. Example of
this is Carbon tetrachloride.

So, in writing the chemical formula, structural formula as

well as the chemical name of a given compound, you must
determine first the intramolecular bond that exists
between atoms of compounds.
 CHEMICAL FORMULA
AND CHEMICAL NAME

Once again, chemical formula is the

shorthand of expressing the types and
the number of atoms in a substance. The
way of writing the chemical formula and
chemical name of ionic compound is
different from the covalent compound.
 A. IONIC COMPOUND

In naming the chemical formula of

an ionic compound, do the following
steps below. We will use sodium
chloride as an example of a chemical
name that need to be converted into
chemical formula.
 METHOD 1: NAMING THE
CHEMICAL FORMULA FOR
IONIC COMPOUNDS

1. Know what makes a compound ionic.

Ionic compounds contain a metal and
a nonmetal.
Refer to the periodic table of
elements to see what categories the
elements in the compound belong to.
 METHOD 1: NAMING THE
CHEMICAL FORMULA FOR
IONIC COMPOUNDS

2. Build the name. For a two element

ionic compound, the naming is simple.
The first part of the name is the name of
the metal element.
The second part is the name of the non-
metal element, with the suffix "-ide."
 METHOD 2: WRITING
CHEMICAL FORMULA OF
IONIC COMPOUNDS
If the charges are the same in magnitude:
1. Write the charge/s of the element.
2. If the charges are the same in
magnitude, even though they're opposite in
sign, these ions will combine in a one-to-
one ratio.

-1
 METHOD 2: WRITING
CHEMICAL FORMULA FOR
IONIC COMPOUNDS
For example:
Aluminium is found in group
13 or group 3a, so it has a
+3 charge.
Phosphorus has a -3
charge.
Since they have the same
charge, you can simply
write the symbol of the
elements together. -3
 METHOD 2: WRITING
CHEMICAL FORMULA FOR
IONIC COMPOUNDS
If the charges are not the same in magnitude:
1. Write the symbol of the element and its
charge.
2. Swap the charges. (Don't include the
negative sign.)
* There's no point in writing 1. We can just
ignore it.

-1
 METHOD 2: WRITING
CHEMICAL FORMULA FOR
IONIC COMPOUNDS
Example:
Soduim or Na have a +1 charge.
Oxygen is a calcagen in group 6a, so it's
going to have a -2 charge.

-2
 B. COVALENT COMPOUND

1. Understand a covalent compound.

Covalent compounds are formed by
two or more nonmetal elements. The
name for the compound is based off
how many atoms are present. The
prefix attached is the Latin term for
the number of molecules.
 METHOD 3: NAMING THE
CHEMICAL FORMULA FOR
COVALENT COMPOUNDS
 METHOD 3: NAMING THE
CHEMICAL FORMULA FOR
COVALENT COMPOUNDS

3. Name the compounds. Using

the correct prefixes, name the
new compound. You attach
prefixes to any part of the
compound that has multiple
atoms.
o Example: CO would be carbon
monoxide and CO2 would be carbon
dioxide.
 METHOD 3: NAMING THE
CHEMICAL FORMULA FOR
COVALENT COMPOUNDS

• Example:
; would be Dinitrogen trisulfide.
o In most cases, the "mono-" prefix can be
omitted, because it is implied when it is not
present. It is still used for carbon monoxide due
to the term being in use since early chemistry.
 METHOD 4: WRITING THE
CHEMICAL FORMULA FOR
COVALENT COMPOUNDS

In writing the chemical formula for covalent

compound,
1. Understand what the prefixes represent.
2. Write the symbol of the element.
3 Combine the elements.

N2
Dinitrogen Trioxide
Di=2 Nitrogen=N
Tri=3 Oxide or Oxygen=O O3
= N2O3
THAN
K YOU