Chemical Formulae

CHEMICAL FORMULAE
IUPAC NOMENCLATURE
Introduction
A chemical formula represents the composition of an element or a compound by the use of

chemical symbols and numerals as subscript.
Atomicity
A molecule is composed of two or more atoms of the same or different elements, except that
of a metal or a noble gas. The number of atoms in a molecule of an element is called
atomicity.
In writing the chemical formula of an element, its symbol is written first; then, the numeral
that indicates its atomicity as a subscript. For example:
1. A monoatomic element contains one atom in a molecule. E.g. metals, such as Na, Mg;
noble gases, such as He.
2. A diatomic element contains two atoms in a molecule. E.g. H2, O2, Cl2.
3. A triatomic element contains three atoms in a molecule. E.g. ozone, O3.
4. A polyatomic element contains four or more atoms in a molecule, e.g. P4 and S8.
Note: when writing the chemical formula representing more than one molecule of an element,
the numeral indicating the number of molecules is written first, followed by the chemical
formula of the element:
 3H2 represents three molecules of hydrogen; it contains six (3 x 2) hydrogen

atoms.
 7O3 reprsents seven molecules of ozone, and contains twenty one (7 x 3) oxygen
atoms.
 2Na represents two (2 x 1) atoms of sodium – since it is monoatomic.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. The following elements are diatomic except

A. Chlorine B. hydrogen C. nitrogen phosphorus.
2. Write the chemical formula of each of the following elements: neon; ozone; chlorine;
phosphorus.
3. How many atoms are in each of the following?
a. 2S8; b. 6P4; c. 9 molecules of nitrogen.
Formulae of Binary Compounds

Simple Chemical Formulae
A binary compound contains only two elements. In an ionic compound, the electrovalency of
each of the combining metal and non-metal determine the chemical formula of the compound
formed:
 Na+ + Cl- give NaCl

 Ca2+ + 2Cl- give CaCl2
 2Al3+ + 3O2- give Al2O3
In a covalent molecule, non-metal atoms combine depending on the number of electrons

contributed for sharing by each of the elements:
 2H + O give H2O
 4H + C give CH4
PRACTICE QUESTION
How many oxygen atoms are in each of the following formulae?
a. 3Cu2O …2
b. b. 17H2O2 …34 c. 5I2O7 … 35
Formulae Containing Radicals
A radical is a group of atoms of two or more elements carrying a positive or negative charge,
e.g. NH4+, OH-, NO3-, CO32-. For each radical, the electrovalency corresponds to the charge on
the group of atoms.
The steps for writing a chemical formula are:
1. Write the cation first, then, the anion – with the correct symbols and charges.
2. Combine the opposite ions in the inverse ratio of their charges, using the simplest ratio.\
3. When the same radical occurs more than once in a formula, it is enclosed in brackets; the
appropriate coefficient is then written as the subscript.
Examples
1. In a compound of Ca2+ and OH- , one of Ca2+ combines with two of OH- in order to
neutralize the charges. The formula is written as Ca(OH)2 in order to preserve the
identity of OH- . it should not be written as CaOH2 as this indicates one calcium atom,
one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. Also, it should not be written as CaO2H2 ; in
doing so, the identity of OH- is not preserved.
2. In a compound of NH4+ and SO42- , two of NH4+ combine with one of SO42- to give
(NH4)2SO4.
3. In a compound of Mg2+ and HCO3- , one of Mg2+ combines with two of HCO3- to give
Mg(HCO3)2.
4. A compound of NH4+ and NO3- has the formula NH4NO3. Brackets are not required
when a radical occurs only once in a formula.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. State the number of atoms of each element in

a. NH4NO2 b. Al2(SO4)3
2. Copy and complete the table below by writing the chemical formula of the stable
compound formed when a cation in the vertical column combines with an anion in the
horizontal column.
HCO3- NO3- SO42- PO43-

H+ HCO3 HNO3 H2SO4 H3PO4
Ca2+ Ca
Al3+
NH4+
3. a. Which of the following formulae is NOT correct?

Al3(SO4) ; Ca(OH)2 ; Fe2O3 ; Mg(NO3)2
b. Write the correct formula in a above.
4. If a metal R forms a compound with the formula R(NO3)2 ; the formula of its sulphate is
A. R(SO4)2 B. RSO4 C. R2SO4 D. R2(SO4)3
IUPAC Nomenclature of Inorganic Compounds
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) rules are being used in naming
inorganic compounds.
What is Oxidation Number (O.N.)? Oxidation number can be defined as the apparent charge of
an atom in a molecule or ion. It’s sometimes called oxidation state.
Rules for assigning Oxidation Number (O.N.)
1. The O.N. of an atom in an uncombined free element, whether monoatomic or polyatomic

is zero; e.g. Noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, etc.), metals (Na, Cu, Zn, etc), and molecules (H2,
O2, N2, etc.)
2. The O.N. of one oxygen atom is -2 in its binary compounds [except in peroxides (H2O2,
Na2O2 or O22- ) where it is -1, and its binary compound with fluorine, OF2 where it is +2].
3. The oxidation number of one hydrogen atom is +1 in its compounds [except in hydrides
of metals (e.g. NaH), where it is -1].
4. In their compounds group 1 alkaline metals (Li, Na, K, etc.) have O.N. of +1, group II
alkaline-earth metals (Mg, Ca, etc.) have O.N. of +2, while group III metals (B, Al, etc.)
have O.N. of +3.
5. The halogen atom (F, Cl, Br, I, etc.) in group VII have O.N. of -1 in their binary
compounds only.
6. O.N. of the atom in monoatomic ion is equal to the charge on it; e.g. O.N. of sodium
atom in Na+ is +1; that of Al in Al3+ is +3; that of S in S2- is -2.
7. In any radical, the sum of the O.N. of all the atoms equals the charge on its atom.
8. In any molecule, the sum of the O.N’s of all the atoms adds to zero.
Examples
1. Find the oxidation number of copper in Cu2O.

2. Calculate the oxidation number of X in X2O72- .
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. Determine the oxidation number of

a. Sulphur in S8; H2S2O7; SO42-
b. Phosphorus in P4; POCl3; HPO32-
2. The oxidation number of iodine is IO3- is
A. -5 B. -1 C. +1 D. +5 [WAEC]
3. Which of the following terms indicates the number of bonds that can be formed by an
atom? [JAMB]
A. Oxidation number B. Valence C. Atomic number D. Electronegativity.
Naming Inorganic Compounds
1. Binary Compounds
Binary compounds contain two elements, and their names end with –ide.
a. The cation (electropositive element) is named first, followed by that of the anion
(electronegative element) with its name modified to end with –ide, e.g. CaO is calcium
oxide, and H2S is hydrogen sulphide.
The systematic ending –ide is not applicable to binary compounds such as H2O (water), NH3
(ammonia) and PH3 (phosphine). So also, some radicals are treated like single elements when
naming their compounds, e.g. Ammonium, NH4+ ; hydroxide, OH- ; and cyanide, CN- .
Hence, HCN is hydrogen cyanide, while NH4OH is ammonium hydroxide.
b. The O.N. of an element with more than one O.N.’s is designated by Roman numeral in
brackets, e.g. Cu2O is copper (I) oxide – since the oxidation number of each copper atom
is +1; CuO is copper(II) oxide. If an element has a fixed O.N., the Roman numeral is
omitted, e.g. NaCl is sodium chloride; not sodium (I) chloride.
Examples
Formula IUPAC name
Na2O Sodium oxide
H2S Hydrogen sulphide
KI Potassium iodide
Mg3N2 Magnesium nitride
Fe2O3 Iron(III) oxide
c. Stoichiometric names are used for binary compounds of nonmetals:
Examples
Formula IUPAC name Conventional name
CO Carbon(II) oxide Carbon monoxide
CO2 Carbon(IV) oxide Carbon dioxide
NO Nitrogen(II) oxide Nitric oxide
N2O Nitrogen(I) oxide Nitrous oxide
NO2 Nitrogen(IV) oxide Nitrogen dioxide
N2O4 Dinitrogen(IV) oxide Dintrogen tetroxide
PCl3 Phosphorus(III) chloride Phosphorus trichloride
Note: Transition elements such as Fe, Cu, Cr, Co, Mn and Ni (except Zn and Sc) and non-metals
of groups IV, V, VI and VII (except F and Si) exist in more than one oxidation state.

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CHEMICAL FORMULAE

A chemical formula represents the composition of an element or a compound by the use of

 3H2 represents three molecules of hydrogen; it contains six (3 x 2) hydrogen

1. The following elements are diatomic except

Formulae of Binary Compounds

 Na+ + Cl- give NaCl

In a covalent molecule, non-metal atoms combine depending on the number of electrons

How many oxygen atoms are in each of the following formulae?

Formulae Containing Radicals

The steps for writing a chemical formula are:

1. State the number of atoms of each element in

HCO3- NO3- SO42- PO43-

3. a. Which of the following formulae is NOT correct?

Rules for assigning Oxidation Number (O.N.)

1. The O.N. of an atom in an uncombined free element, whether monoatomic or polyatomic

1. Find the oxidation number of copper in Cu2O.

1. Determine the oxidation number of

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