Learning Chemical Formulas

Simple Ionic Compounds

Concept:
Ionic Formulas are formed from positive and
negative ions.

Fact 1:
Positive ions are formed by metals that lost
electrons.
Examples: Na1+ Mg2+ A3+ P4+
Simple Ionic Compounds

❚ Fact 2: Negative ions are formed by

nonmetals that gained electrons.
Examples: Cl1- O2- N3- Si4-
Simple Ionic Compounds

Fact 3:
The overall charge of ionic compounds must
equal zero.
Examples : Na1+ Cl1- Ca2+Br1- Al3+O2-
Lesson Two--Polyatomic Ion
Formulas

Concept:
Polyatomic ions are groups of atoms that behave
as one unit.

Fact 4:
Some ions have more that one atom but their
overall charge can be determined.
Examples: (SO4) = S +6 and O -8 = -2
(NO3)= N +5 and O -6 = -1
(NH4) = N -3 and H +4 = +1
Polyatomic Ion Formulas

Fact 5: These group ions, polyatomic ions, are

treated like single ions in formulas, but must
have parentheses when more than one is used
in a formula.
Examples: Ca2+(NO3) 1-2 Ga3+ (SO4) 2-
(NH4) 1+2O2-
Polyatomic Ion Formulas

Fact 6:
The polyatomic ions are named based on the
atoms that they contain. Those with oxygen
and another nonmetal are often name "____ate"
with the root of the other nonmetal in the blank.
Examples: (NO3)1- is nitrate
(SO4)2- is sulfate
(ClO3) 1- is chlorate
Polyatomic Ion Formulas

Fact 7:
Those polyatomic ions with one oxygen less
than the "ate" ions are named "----ite" ions.
Examples: (NO2)1- is nitrite
(SO3)2- is sulfite
(ClO2)1- is chlorite
Polyatomic Ion Formulas

Fact 8:
Some polyatomic ions contain a regular
polyatomic ion and one or more hydrogen ions.
Each hydrogen that is present add one positive
charge to the total charge.
Examples: (SO4)2-becomes H(SO4)1-
(SO3)2- becomes H(SO3)-1
(CO3)2- becomes H(CO31-
(PO4)3- becomes H(PO4)2-
Polyatomic Ion Formulas

Fact 9:
These ion groups are named hydrogen ____
or bi ______.
Examples: H(CO3)1- is called hydrogen carbonate
or bicarbonate
H(SO4) 1- is called hydrogen sulfate or bisulfate
Lesson Three--Transition Metal
Compounds

Concept:
Transition metals have electrons in d orbitals and
can donate different numbers of electrons, thus
giving them several different positive charges.

Fact 10:
These can be determined from the Roman numeral
which is written next to the metal's name.
Example: Cu1+is Copper I
Pb2+is Lead II
Fe3+is Iron III
Sn4+s Tin IV
Transition Metal Compounds

Fact 11:
These transition metals are used in formulas just
like other metals, once the charge is determined
from the Roman numeral in the name.
Example: Cu1+ Cl1- Pb2+O2-
Fe3+Br1-3 Sn4+O2-
Transition Metal Compounds

Fact 12:
A few transition metal ions only have one charge
and never change so they can be written without
a Roman numeral in their formula name.
Example: Ag1+ Zn2+ Cd2+
Lesson Four--Using Formulas in
Problem Solving

Concept: Correctly written chemical formulas hold a

large amount of information for the prepared student
to find.
Fact 13:
The subscripts tell us the number of atoms of each
kind that is present in the compound.
Example: NaCl has one atom of sodium and one
atom of chlorine.
H2SO4 has two atoms of hydrogen, one atom of
sulfur and four atoms of oxygen
Using Formulas in Problem Solving

Fact 14:
The sum of the atomic masses times the number of
atoms of each kind of element is equal to the mass of
one mole of the substance.
Examples: Na = 23g/mol and Cl = 35.5g/mol so NaCl
has a molar mass of 58.5g/mol
Nitric acid is HNO3so its molar mass is
H=1x1 = 1
N = 14 x 1 = 14
O = 16 x 3 = 48
Total = 63g/mol
Using Formulas in Problem Solving

Fact 15:
From the formula ion charges, also called oxidation
numbers, can be determined using simple math
processes.
Example:Fe2O3 is iron oxide, but what is the charge of
the iron in this formula? It is known that the oxygen's
ionic charge is -2 so substitute in that charge and find
the iron's ionic charge.
Fe--2O-23 It is clear that the missing charge is +3.
Thus the complete name of this compound is
iron III oxide.
Using Formulas in Problem Solving

Fact 16: The percentage composition of each

element in a compound can be determined using only
the correct formula and the atomic masses.
Example: Sodium chloride or NaCl
Na = 23.0 % Na = 23.0 x 100 = 39.3%Na
Cl = 35.5 58.5
58.5g/mol
% Cl = 35.5 x 100 = 60.7% Cl
58.5
Notice that the total of the percentages is always
equal or very close to 100%.