Naming chemical compounds

Naming chemical compounds

A chemical compound is a substance formed out of more than one element joined together by chemical bond. Such compounds have properties that are unique from that of the elements that formed them. While naming these compounds specific ways are followed. They are given below.

1. In naming a compound containing a metal and a non-metal, the name of the metal is written first and the name of the non-metal is written next after adding the suffix-‘ide’ to its name.

Examples:

NaCl - Sodium chloride

Ag Br - Silver bromide

2. In naming a compound containing a metal, a non-metal and oxygen, name of the metal is written first and name of the non-metal with oxygen is written next after adding the suffix- ‘ate’ (for more atoms of oxygen) or – ite (for less atoms of oxygen) to its name.

Examples:

Na₂ SO₄ - Sodium sulphate

Na NO₂ - Sodium nitrite

3. In naming a compound containing two non-metals only, the prefix mono, di, tri, tetra, penta etc. is written before the name of non- metals.

Examples:

SO₂ - Sulphur dioxide

N₂O₅ - Dinitrogen pentoxide

Activity 4

Write the names of the chemical compounds.