Chemical Formulas

Water is H2O.

Water is H2O. How do we decide on these strange-looking symbols for chemicals?

First of all we need to know the symbols for the elements which make up our universe. There are about ninety of these:-

Ive chosen twenty of them:-

H hydrogen C carbon N nitrogen O oxygen Na sodium Mg magnesium Al aluminium Si silicon P phosphorus S sulphur

Cl K Ca Cr Fe Cu Zn Br Ag I

chlorine potassium calcium chromium iron copper zinc bromine silver iodine

Mostly the symbol is the first one or two letters of the name

Many ordinary compounds are made from atoms of just two or three of these elements combined together. The formula shows the ratio of the numbers of these atoms.

Many ordinary compounds are made from atoms of just two or three of these elements combined together. The formula shows the ratio of the numbers of these atoms. Water, H2O, has 2 hydrogens to 1 oxygen. These are linked to make one molecule of water.

Many ordinary compounds are made from atoms of just two or three of these elements combined together. The formula shows the ratio of the numbers of these atoms. Water, H2O, has 2 hydrogens to 1 oxygen. These are linked to make one molecule of water. Carbon dioxide, CO2, has 2 oxygens for each carbon.

These two substances consist of small particles called molecules, where just 3 atoms are linked together. The CO2 molecule is linear CO2 O=C=O

whilst the water molecule is V-shaped or bent H 2O H O H

Not all compounds are made of molecules, some have electrically charged groups of atoms called ions.

Not all compounds are made of molecules, some have electrically charged groups of atoms called ions. One of these is aluminium sulphate, known as alum, whose formula is Al2(SO4)3 and which contains positive aluminium ions and negative sulphate ions, the SO4 part of the formula.

There are a small number of these poly-atomic ions whose formula we will need to know. Their names may be familiar:sulphate nitrate carbonate hydroxide SO42NO3CO32OH -

where the negative signs indicate the electrical charge

The question now is:How do we know how many of each atom are needed?.

The question now is:How do we know how many of each atom are needed?. It turns out that atoms of each element (or poly-atomic ion) have a number associated with them which determines how they all link up together. This is sometimes called the valency or valence.

The question now is:How do we know how many of each atom are needed?. It turns out that atoms of each element (or poly-atomic ion) have a number associated with them which determines how they all link up together. This is sometimes called the valency or valence. Here are the numbers for the twenty four atoms and ions we have met so far.

H hydrogen C carbon N nitrogen O oxygen Na sodium Mg magnesium Al aluminium Si silicon P phosphorus S sulphur

+1 4 -3 -2 +1 +2 +3 4 -3 -2

Cl K Ca Cr Fe Cu Zn Br Ag I

chlorine -1 potassium +1 calcium +2 chromium +3 iron +2 or +3 copper +2 zinc +2 bromine -1 silver +1 iodine -1

What a difficult set of numbers to learn! Or are they?

Lets re-arrange the list

H Na K Mg Ca Al Cr Fe Cu Zn Ag hydrogen sodium potassium magnesium calcium aluminium +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +3 Cl Br I O S P N C Si NO3 OH CO3 SO4 chlorine -1 bromine -1 iodine -1 oxygen -2 sulphur -2 phosphorus -3 nitrogen -3 carbon 4 silicon 4 nitrate hydroxide carbonate sulphate -1 -1 -2 -2

chromium +3 iron +2 or +3 copper +2 zinc +2 silver +1

So how do we use this table?

So how do we use this table? Here are a few simple steps to follow in going from a compounds name to its formula:-

So how do we use this table? Here are a few simple steps to follow in going from a compounds name to its formula:Ill use calcium chloride as a example

So how do we use this table? Here are a few simple steps to follow in going from a compounds name to its formula:Ill use calcium chloride as a example 1 write the symbols implied by the name

So how do we use this table? Here are a few simple steps to follow in going from a compounds name to its formula:Ill use calcium chloride as a example 1 write the symbols implied by the name Ca and Cl

So how do we use this table? Here are a few simple steps to follow in going from a compounds name to its formula:Ill use calcium chloride as a example 1 write the symbols implied by the name Ca and Cl (compounds of two elements usually have a name ending in ide, for three elements its usually -ate)

So how do we use this table? Here are a few simple steps to follow in going from a compounds name to its formula:Ill use calcium chloride as a example 1 write the symbols implied by the name Ca and Cl (compounds of two elements usually have a name ending in ide, for three elements its usually -ate) 2 Find the numbers on the list

Lets re-arrange the list

H Na K Mg Ca Al Cr Fe Cu Zn Ag hydrogen sodium potassium magnesium calcium aluminium +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +3 Cl Br I O S P N C Si NO3 OH CO3 SO4 chlorine -1 bromine -1 iodine -1 oxygen -2 sulphur -2 phosphorus -3 nitrogen -3 carbon 4 silicon 4 nitrate hydroxide carbonate sulphate -1 -1 -2 -2

chromium +3 iron +2 or +3 copper +2 zinc +2 silver +1

So how do we use this table? Here are a few simple steps to follow in going from a compounds name to its formula:Ill use calcium chloride as a example 1 write the symbols implied by the name Ca and Cl (compounds of two elements usually have a name ending in ide, for three elements its usually -ate) 2 Find the numbers on the list Ca +2 and Cl -1

So how do we use this table? Here are a few simple steps to follow in going from a compounds name to its formula:Ill use calcium chloride as a example 1 write the symbols implied by the name Ca and Cl (compounds of two elements usually have a name ending in ide, for three elements its usually -ate) 2 Find the numbers on the list Ca +2 and Cl -1 3 The rule now is that The numbers in the compound must add to zero.

So how do we use this table? Here are a few simple steps to follow in going from a compounds name to its formula:Ill use calcium chloride as a example 1 write the symbols implied by the name Ca and Cl (compounds of two elements usually have a name ending in ide, for three elements its usually -ate) 2 Find the numbers on the list Ca +2 and Cl -1 3 The rule now is that The numbers in the compound must add to zero. one Ca (+2) and two Cl (-1) will add to 0.

So how do we use this table? Here are a few simple steps to follow in going from a compounds name to its formula:Ill use calcium chloride as a example 1 write the symbols implied by the name Ca and Cl (compounds of two elements usually have a name ending in ide, for three elements its usually -ate) 2 Find the numbers on the list Ca +2 and Cl -1 3 The rule now is that The numbers in the compound must add to zero. one Ca (+2) and two Cl (-1) will add to 0. 4 And so the formula is CaCl2

Now lets try aluminium iodide 1 Al and I

Now lets try aluminium iodide 1 Al and I 2 Al +3 and I -1

Now lets try aluminium iodide 1 Al and I 2 Al +3 and I -1 3 one Al will need 3 I

Now lets try aluminium iodide 1 Al and I 2 Al +3 and I -1 3 one Al will need 3 I 4 formula is AlI3

Now lets try aluminium iodide 1 Al and I 2 Al +3 and I -1 3 one Al will need 3 I 4 formula is AlI3 sodium oxide

Now lets try aluminium iodide 1 Al and I 2 Al +3 and I -1 3 one Al will need 3 I 4 formula is AlI3 sodium oxide 1 Na and O

Now lets try aluminium iodide 1 Al and I 2 Al +3 and I -1 3 one Al will need 3 I 4 formula is AlI3 sodium oxide 1 Na and O 2 Na +1 and O -2

Now lets try aluminium iodide 1 Al and I 2 Al +3 and I -1 3 one Al will need 3 I 4 formula is AlI3 sodium oxide 1 Na and O 2 Na +1 and O -2 3 this time we need two Na for one O

Now lets try aluminium iodide 1 Al and I 2 Al +3 and I -1 3 one Al will need 3 I 4 formula is AlI3 sodium oxide 1 Na and O 2 Na +1 and O -2 3 this time we need two Na for one O 4 formula is Na2O

Now lets try aluminium iodide 1 Al and I 2 Al +3 and I -1 3 one Al will need 3 I 4 formula is AlI3 sodium oxide 1 Na and O 2 Na +1 and O -2 3 this time we need two Na for one O 4 formula is Na2O

notice that in the name and the formula, the metal or hydrogen (things which have the positive numbers) come first.

A few more examples 3 calcium sulphate 1 Ca and SO4

A few more examples 3 calcium sulphate 1 Ca and SO4 2 Ca +2 and SO4 -2

A few more examples 3 calcium sulphate 1 Ca and SO4 2 Ca +2 and SO4 -2 3 one Ca for one SO4

A few more examples 3 calcium sulphate 1 Ca and SO4 2 Ca +2 and SO4 -2 3 one Ca for one SO4 4 formula is CaSO4

A few more examples 3 calcium sulphate 1 Ca and SO4 2 Ca +2 and SO4 -2 3 one Ca for one SO4 4 formula is CaSO4 magnesium hydroxide 1 Mg and OH 2 Mg is +2 and OH -1 3 one Mg for two OH 4 formula is Mg(OH)2

Aluminium carbonate 1 Al and CO3 2 Al +3 and CO3 -2 3 two Al for three CO3 4 formula is Al2(CO3)3

Aluminium carbonate 1 Al and CO3 2 Al +3 and CO3 -2 3 two Al for three CO3 4 formula is Al2(CO3)3

All these examples have had a metal as one part of the compound. If two non metals combine life is a bit more complicated.

Aluminium carbonate 1 Al and CO3 2 Al +3 and CO3 -2 3 two Al for three CO3 4 formula is Al2(CO3)3

All these examples have had a metal as one part of the compound. If two non metals combine life is a bit more complicated. We often need to just make sure that the numbers are equal for each element. It is easier than that all sounds!

Lets work out some examples 1 Silicon dioxide

Lets work out some examples 1 Silicon dioxide 1,2 Si 4, O 2

Lets work out some examples 1 Silicon dioxide 1,2 Si 4, O 2 3 to make the values equal we would need two O for each Si

Lets work out some examples 1 Silicon dioxide 1,2 Si 4, O 2 3 to make the values equal we would need two O for each Si 4 SiO2, quartz

Lets work out some examples 1 Silicon dioxide 1,2 Si 4, O 2 3 to make the values equal we would need two O for each Si 4 SiO2, quartz Hydrogen nitride (usually called ammonia)

Lets work out some examples 1 Silicon dioxide 1,2 Si 4, O 2 3 to make the values equal we would need two O for each Si 4 SiO2, quartz Hydrogen nitride (usually called ammonia) 1,2 H 1, N 3 3 for equal values we need three H for each N 4 NH3, ammonia

Phosphorus oxide 1,2 P 3 and O 2 3 To make these the same for each element we need 2 P and 3 O 4 P2 O 3

Phosphorus oxide 1,2 P 3 and O 2 3 To make these the same for each element we need 2 P and 3 O 4 P2 O 3

You should now be able to write the formula for several hundred compounds. You will find that the number associated with each element is easy to remember with a bit of practice.

Phosphorus oxide 1,2 P 3 and O 2 3 To make these the same for each element we need 2 P and 3 O 4 P2 O 3

You should now be able to write the formula for several hundred compounds. You will find that the number associated with each element is easy to remember with a bit of practice. Chemistry is like music or sport you cant do it well unless you practice the basics.

Get to it!