Chapter 10

Chemical Formulae
and Balancing
Equations
(Part 1)

Learning Outcomes:
1) Write the formula of an ionic
compound, given the name and
vice versa
2) Write the formula of a covalent
compound, given the name and
vice versa

Chemical Symbols
and Chemical
Formulae
A symbol is used to represent one
atom of an element which is found
in the Periodic Table.
Examples :
H for one atom of hydrogen
O for one atom of oxygen
Zn for one atom of zinc

What is a chemical
formula ?
NH
3

ZnCO

O
M
SO Al2O2 gC
l
H2 3
2
Fe(NO3)
3

Chemical Symbols
and Chemical
Formulae
A chemical formula of a
substance (which can be element
or compound) consists of the
symbol(s) of the element(s) it
contains and some integers
(except 1) which show the
number of atoms involved.

Chemical Symbols
and Chemical
Formulae
A substance can mean
- an element, eg O2 , Cl2
- a covalent compound, eg CO2, NH3
- an ionic compound, eg NaCl, NaOH

From Atoms to Ions

Atoms are electrically neutral because
they have equal number of positively
charged protons and negatively charged
electrons (covered in Sec 1 Science).
However, when atoms lose or gain
electrons, they become charged
particles (which are known as ions).

From Atoms to Ions

Atoms of metals tend to lose
electrons to form positive ions (since
there are less negatively charged
electrons than positively charged
protons in the ion).
Atoms of non-metals tend to gain
electrons to form negative ions
(since there are more negatively
charged electrons than positively
charged protons in the ion).

Examples of positive
ions

Element

Sodium
(11p, 11e)

E.S. of No. of e E.S. of

atom
lost
Ions

(2.8.1)

Calcium
(20p, 20e) (2.8.8.2)

one

two

(2.8)

Sodium ion,
Na+
(11p, 10e)

(2.8.8)

Calcium ion,
Ca2+
(20p, 18e)

(2.8)

Aluminium ion,
Al3+
(13p, 10e)

Aluminium

(13p, 13e)

(2.8.3)

three

Name and
formula of
ion

From Atoms to Ions

Atoms of Group I elements (e.g. Li, Na
and K) tend to lose 1 electron and form
ions with +1 charge.
Atoms of Group II elements (e.g. Ca and
Mg) tend to lose 2 electrons and form
ions with +2 charge.
The number of
electron lost is the
same as the number
of valence electrons in
the atom

From Atoms to Ions

Atoms of Group III elements (e.g. Al)
tend to lose 3 electrons and form ions
with +3 charge.
The name of the positive ion of a metal
takes on its name (e.g. sodium ion,
magnesium ion, aluminium ion, etc).

Examples of negative
ions
Element

oxygen
(8p, 8e)

E.S. of No. of e E.S. of

atom gained
Ions

(2.6)

Chlorine
(17p, 17e) (2.8.7)

two
one

(2.8)
(2.8.8)

Name and
formula of
ion
Oxide ion, O2(8p, 10e)
Chloride ion,
Cl(17p, 18e)

From Atoms to Ions

Atoms of Group VI elements (e.g. O
and S) tend to gain 2 electrons and
form ions with -2 charge.
Atoms of Group VII elements (e.g. F
and Cl) tend to gain 1 electron and
form ions with -1 charge.

From Atoms to Ions

The name of the negative ion of a
non-metal takes on a different
name, ending with ide (e.g.
chloride ion, oxide ion, sulfide ion,
etc).

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

An ionic compound is produced when
a metal reacts with a non-metal.
An ionic compound consists of positive
ions and negative ions.
Example:
Sodium chloride is an ionic compound
produced when sodium (metal) reacts with
chlorine (non-metal).
It consists of sodium ions (positive ions)
and chloride ions (negative ions).

Ionic Compounds
e.g. sodium
chloride

Sodium ion
(positive
ion)

Chloride ion
(negative
ion)

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

Ionic compounds have no overall
charge. This means that the sum of
the positive and negative charges in
the compound must be zero.

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

eg sodium
chloride
(NaCl)
Sodium ion
( Na+ )

Chloride ion
( Cl- )

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

Before we can write the formula, we
need to know the charge on each ion.

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

Positive ions
Charge

Name

Formula

+1

lithium ion

Li+

sodium ion

Na+

potassium ion

K+

calcium ion

Ca2+

magnesium ion

Mg2+

aluminium ion

Al3+

+2
+3

Need to
memorise
..

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

Negative ions
Charge

Name

Formula

-1

fluoride ion

F-

chloride ion

Cl-

iodide ion

I-

oxide ion

O2-

sulfide ion

S2-

-2

Need to
memorise
..

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

Positive ions
Charge

Name

Formula

+1

silver ion

Ag+

copper(I) ion

Cu+

*ammonium ion

NH4+

copper(II) ion

Cu2+

iron(II) ion

Fe2+

lead(II) ion

Pb2+

+2

zinc ion
+3

iron(III) ion

Zn2+
Fe3+

Need to
memorise
..

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

Negative ions
Charge

Name

Formula

-1

*hydroxide ion

OH-

*nitrate ion

NO3-

*carbonate ion

CO32-

*sulfate ion

SO42-

-2

-3

*sulfite ion

SO32-

*phosphate ion

PO43-

Need to
memorise
..

* these ions are known as Polyatomic ions (each has

more than 1 atom

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

To work out formula of ionic
compounds :(1) Write formula of the ions concerned.
(2) Balance the charge.
(3) Write down the formula without the
charge.
Note:
(i)Write the formula of the positive ion first.
(ii)The number of ions (2 and above) is written as a
subscript. The subscript 1 is not shown in the
formula.
(iii)The polyatomic ion needs to be enclosed with a

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

E.g. (1) magnesium chloride
Ions in the compound
Charge on the ions
Number of each ion to
balance charge
Formula of the compound

Mg2+

Cl-

+
2
1

-1
2
MgCl2

Note:
No bracket is needed for the simple ions.
MgCl2
Mg(Cl)2

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

E.g. (2) sodium carbonate
Ions in the compound
Charge on the ions
Number of each ion to
balance charge
Formula of the compound

Na+

CO32-

+
1
2

-2
1

Na2CO3

Note:
No bracket is needed for the simple ions.
Na2CO3
(Na)2CO3

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

E.g. (3) iron(III) oxide
Ions in the compound
Charge on the ions
Number of each ion to
balance charge
Formula of the compound

Fe3+

O2-

+
3
2

-2
3
Fe2O3

Fe

3+

It is like exchanging the

number of charge on the ions

Fe 2 O

2-

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

E.g. (4) ammonium sulfate
Ions in the compound
Charge on the ions
Number of each ion to
balance charge
Formula of the compound

NH4
Use
brac
ket

SO4

NH4+

SO42-

+
1
2

-2
1

(NH4)2SO4

2-

(NH4)2 SO4

(Subscript 1 is not
shown)

Formulae of Ionic Compounds

Note: The ratio of the ions in the
compound MUST be the simplest
ratio
E.g. magnesium oxide

Mg

O 2-

2+

Mg

Formula is MgO

OH

Cl-

NO3

Ca2+ Ca(OH)2 CaCl2 Ca(NO3)2

SO42
CaSO4

Al3+

Al(OH)3

AlCl3

Al(NO3)3

Al2(SO4)3

Na+

NaOH

NaCl

NaNO3

Na2SO4

NH4+

__

NH4Cl NH4NO3

(NH4)2SO4

Name of Ionic Compounds

The name of an ionic compound is derived
from the names of its positive and negative
ion.
E.g. sodium chloride is named after sodium
ion, Na+ and chloride ion, Cl- in the
compound.

Name of Ionic Compounds

Formula

1.

Mg(OH)2

2.

Ca(NO3)2

CuO

FeCl3

Na2SO4

Name
magnesium
hydroxide
calcium
nitrate
copper (II)
oxide
iron (III)
chloride
sodium sulfate

Formulae of Covalent
Compounds
The table shows the name and formulae of
some common covalent substances.
Each formula is made up of the symbols of
the elements and numbers.

Formulae of Covalent
Compounds
Name of compound
Carbon dioxide
Carbon monoxide
Nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen monoxide
Sulfur dioxide
Sulfur trioxide
Water
Ammonia
Methane

Formula
CO2
CO
NO2
NO
SO2
SO3
H2O
NH3
CH4

Need to
memorise
..

Formulae of Covalent
Compounds
Name of element
Hydrogen

Formula
H2

Oxygen

O2

Nitrogen

N2

Fluorine

F2

Chlorine

Cl2

Bromine

Br2

Iodine

I2

Need to
memorise
..

These are known as diatomic molecules.

Spot the errors

Name
Copper oxide
Copper (I) oxide

Formula
Cu2O

Calcium hydroxide

CaOH2
Ca(OH)

Sulfate
Sulfur dioxide
Lithum carbon oxide

Lithium carbonate

SO2

Li2CO3

Spot the errors

Name
Ammonia chloride
Ammonium
Zinc sulfide
chloride
Zinc
Zinc sulfide
sulfite

Magnesium monoxide

Magnesium
oxide

Formula
NH4Cl
ZnSO3
ZnSO3
ZnS
MgO

Type of Ions Simple ions and Polyatomic ions

(pg 10)

Table A Name and Formulae of Positive Ions and

Negative Ions (pg 11)

Need to
memorise
..

Table A Name and Formulae of Positive Ions and

Negative Ions (Pg 11)

Need to
memorise
..

Table B Name and Formulae of Common

Covalent Substances (Pg 12)

Need to
memorise
..

Table C Name and Formulae of Common Acids

and Alkalis (Pg 12)
Name of Acids

Formula

Hydrochloric acid

HCl

Sulfuric acid

H2SO4

Nitric acid

HNO3

Ethanoic acid

CH3COOH

Name of Alkalis

Formula

Sodium hydroxide

NaOH

Potassium hydroxide

KOH

Calcium hydroxide

Ca(OH)2

Aqueous ammonia

NH3

Need to
memorise
..