Naming Compounds Handout Worksheet – Naming compounds is an essential concept in chemical science. It involves assigning a unique name to compounds based upon its composition. In addition, the name assigned to the compound can provide important information regarding its properties and its structure. There are many types of chemical compounds, including covalent compounds, ionic compounds in addition to binary ones.
Naming Ionic Compounds
Ionic compounds arise from electron transfer between electrons. They are composed of positively charged cations as well as negatively charged anion. The rules used to name ionic compounds are as like this:
- Write the name and the Cation first, then what is the name for the anion.
- If the cation may have multiple possible charges make sure to indicate the charge with Roman numerals inside parentheses.
- If an anion’s structure is polyatomic Ion, take the name of that Ion.
Examples:
- NaCl is also known as sodium chloride.
- FeCl3 is named iron(III) chloride.
- Mg(NO3)2 is also known as magnesium oxide.
Naming Covalent Compounds
They are created by the exchange of electrons between atoms. They are composed of molecules made from two or more atoms. The guidelines for naming compounds that are covalent are as they are:
- Enter the name of the first element of the formula.
- Enter in the first element’s name of the formula, and change the end“-ide “-ide”.
- Use prefixes to identify the number of atoms in each element in the molecular structure, except for“mono,” for example “mono-” for the first element.
Examples:
- CO2 is also known as carbon dioxide.
- N2O is named dinitrogen monoxide.
- SF6 is named sulfur hexafluoride.
Naming Binary Compounds
Binary compounds are those made of two components. The rules for calling binary compounds are as follows:
- Write the name and the first element of the formula.
- Enter an appropriate name for each element in the formula, and change the ending“-ide” to “-ide”.
Examples:
- Hydrogen chloride is the name given to it.
- CO is named carbon monoxide.
- Calcium oxide is known as CaO.
Practice Exercises
To strengthen the understanding, the worksheet will include training exercises to help students name ionic and covalent substances, as well as binary compound. The exercises will help students develop a solid understanding of what rules are used for naming chemical compounds.
Ionic Compound Naming Exercises:
- Na2S
- KBr
- CaF2
- Al2O3
Covalent Compound Naming Exercises:
- CO
- SO2
- N2O4
- H2O2
Binary Compound Naming Exercises:
- Cl2O7
- P2S5
- BrF3
- NO
If they can complete these assignments, students will be confident in understanding chemical compound names and be able to apply these rules to other compounds.
Conclusion:
Naming compounds is an essential idea in chemistry. It requires a good understanding of fundamental rules and principles to giving different compounds different names. In following the principles laid out in this worksheet and practicing with the included activities, students are able to quickly identify covalent, ionic or binary compound. This is vital for achievement in chemistry. It will also provide the foundation for further research in the area.