Transcript: Honors Chemistry

Chemical Compounds: Naming Chemical Compounds

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Although the science of chemistry may at times seem overwhelmingly complicated, its
comforting to know that all matter that is, everything that has mass and occupies space is
composed of only 112 elements, with only 92 of them occurring naturally. In fact, the eight most
common elements in the earths crust make up over 98% of its mass. The names of these elements,
and the compounds they form, is essentially the language of chemistry, and is the focus of this
program.

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In an earlier program, you learned that an element is a chemical substance that cannot be
separated into simpler substances by chemical processes. Elements are composed of atoms, and the
atoms of different elements are distinguished by the numbers of protons in their nucleus. Several
elements can combine chemically to form compounds. A compound is a substance that contains two or
more elements combined in a fixed proportion. In this program, youll learn how elements in compounds
are named according to rules set forth by international commissions that regulate the science of
chemistry.

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Often, elements are referred to as being in an atomic or elemental state. An element in the
atomic state refers to a single atom, such as atomic silver or atomic uranium.
Several elements are found only in the molecular state. The molecular state describes two or
more atoms that are chemically bound together and act as unit. You may think of these elements as
only coming in pairs, and for that reason, theyre referred to as diatomic molecules. Gases such as
nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen rarely exist as single atoms. These elements are written as N2, O2, and
H2. It is common practice to refer to these elements simply as molecular nitrogen or molecular
hydrogen. In addition, oxygen can also form a molecule consisting of three atoms, O3, a molecule
commonly known as ozone.

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The term nomenclature means a system of names. Chemical nomenclature specifically refers
to the naming of chemical species. A chemical species can include elements, ions, or compounds.
Elements combine naturally, or are combined by chemists in a laboratory, to form millions of different
compounds. Without a system based on standardized rules for naming these compounds, scientists
could not efficiently communicate. There would simply be too many names to remember. To alleviate
this problem, rules and procedures regulating chemical nomenclature have been established by the
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. The naming of elements, ions, and compounds
follows strict guidelines to ensure that all scientists, regardless of their national language, can
effectively communicate by learning and using one standardized chemical language.

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Although compounds are named systematically, the elements were not. The names of the
elements are derived from a wide variety of sources, and the history behind these names is fascinating.
Ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, relying on imagination and a common sense approach to
understanding the natural world, named the first documented elements. For example, the element we
know as gold was first called aurum. Aurum is a Latin term meaning shining dawn, which describes
the elements golden luster.

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 Transcript: Honors Chemistry
Chemical Compounds: Naming Chemical Compounds
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Many common and easily purified elements are named after the source from which they are
obtained. Natrium (Latin for sodium) means the sea, from which sodium salts are easily collected.
Carbon is derived from the Latin carbo, meaning charcoal. Potassium was first extracted from
boiled ashes; its name is derived from the English term pot ash.
Other elements are named for their appearance. Cesium is taken from the Latin term meaning
sky blue, and chromium from the Greek term for colorful. Chlorine, another Greek term, describes
this elements greenish-yellow color.

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Some elements are named after famous people, usually scientists. The element Einsteinium,
produced in 1952, is named in honor of the famous 20th century physicist Albert Einstein, and Curium is
named in honor of Pierre and Marie Curie, best known for their work with radioactivity. Nobelium takes
its name from Alfred Nobel, who established the distinguished Nobel prizes. Fermium is named for
Enrico Fermi, a nuclear physicist. Mendelevium is named in honor of Dmitri Mendeleev, the Russian
chemist and architect of the modern Periodic Table.
Several elements, such as Francium, Californium, and Germanium, are named after the location
or country where they were first discovered. Copper is derived from the Latin term cuprum, which
refers to the island of Cypress. Ruthenium is Latin for Russia, where this element is found.

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Some element names describe the physical properties of those elements, and others are
named more creatively. The chemical symbol for gold, Au, reflects its Latin name, aurum. Aurum
means shining dawn and describes the brilliant luster of this element.
Many elements reflect some obvious physical property. Osmium is derived from the Greek
term osmie, meaning smell, and bromine from the Greek bromos, meaning stench.
Manganese is derived from the Latin term for magnet and refers to the magnetic properties of rocks
containing manganese metal.
Several elements, such as Thorium, are named after mythological gods. Thor is the
Scandinavian god of war. The elements Plutonium and Mercury are named for the Greek gods Pluto
and Mercury. Cobalt is derived from the German term kobald, meaning goblin or evil spirit.
As you may gather, the history behind the element names really is interesting, and you may
consider consulting a handbook of chemistry for more information on this topic.

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As the elements were discovered and their chemical properties determined, chemists needed a
convenient way to organize them, as well as any information known about them. Modern chemists
arrange the elements based on their atomic number, as well as other properties, in a periodic table of
the elements. Currently, there are 112 recognized elements, though this number may change as new
elements are created by scientists. Though the Periodic Table and its organization is further explored in
another program, we shall discuss for our purposes how all elements fall into three broad categories:
metals, semimetals, and nonmetals.

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 Transcript: Honors Chemistry
Chemical Compounds: Naming Chemical Compounds
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Elements are categorized most broadly as either metals, nonmetals, or semimetals. Metals
occupy the left-hand side of the Periodic Table and are highlighted in blue. Metals are the most
common class of elements; 88 or so of the 112 known elements are metals. Metals tend to lose their
electrons, are usually shiny when clean, can be formed into shapes, and are good conductors of heat
and electricity. The 17 or so nonmetal elements are found on the far right of the Periodic Table. The
nonmetals, shaded in red, are poor conductors of heat and electricity and are dull or cake-like in
appearance. Many of the nonmetals are gasses or liquids. Hydrogen gas is certainly a nonmetal, but
due to some other interesting properties, this element is located above group 1A on the table. There
are about seven elements classified as semimetals. The semimetals display properties in between
metals and nonmetals, depending on a variety of conditions.

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Almost all chemistry relates to the structure and behavior of the atom. Although it has long been
suspected that matter is composed of atoms, only recently has the structure of the atom been
determined. Atoms are composed of three subatomic particles. The core of the atom, known as the
nucleus, is composed of positively charged protons and uncharged neutrons. The nucleus is
surrounded by a negatively charged electron cloud. These electrons are in constant motion around the
nucleus.

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So far, we have discussed elements and compounds that are electrically neutral; in other words,
atoms in the elemental state and compounds formed from elements do not carry a charge. Ions are
atoms or groups of atoms that are electrically charged. Ions can be either positively or negatively
charged. You may recall that electrons are negatively charged atomic particles. The gain and loss of
electrons is responsible for the charge of an ion. Positively charged ions are called cations, and
indicate a species has lost one or more electrons. Negatively charged ions are called anions, and
indicate that a species has gained one or more electrons.

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Chloride ion and hydroxide ion are common examples of anions. Sodium ion and ammonium
ion are good examples of cations. The charge on an anion indicates how many electrons have been
gained. Can you see how gaining an electron would result in a negatively charged atom? Conversely,
the charge on a cation indicates the number of electrons that have been lost. Does it make sense that
when a neutral atom loses a negatively charged particle, the result is a positively charged atom?

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Ions composed of just one atom are called monatomic ions. The term monatomic cation
describes a single positively charged atom. Monatomic cations are usually metals that have lost one or
more electrons. Monatomic cations are easy to name. When naming monatomic cations, simply state
the name of the element and add the term ion. For example, a sodium atom that has lost one electron
is named sodium ion. Likewise, this magnesium atom that has lost two electrons would be named
magnesium ion. In describing the charge on these two atoms, we would say sodium has a plus one
charge and magnesium has a plus two charge.

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 Transcript: Honors Chemistry
Chemical Compounds: Naming Chemical Compounds
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Naming monatomic anions is just as easy as naming the cations. Anions are formed from
nonmetal elements that tend to gain electrons. To name an anion, simply replace the ending of the root
element with the suffix -ide. For example, a negatively charged fluorine atom is a fluoride ion. Can you
see how the former suffice -ine was replaced by -ide to indicate the anion? Likewise, a bromine
atom with a negative charge is named bromide ion. Lets try one thats a little more difficult. How
would you name the oxygen ion? The original -gen ending is replaced with the -ide suffice, giving us
the oxide ion, and the same goes for nitrogen, resulting in the nitride ion.

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Unlike sodium and magnesium in the previous examples, many elements are capable of
forming several ions with various charges. To provide a means of naming the various charges of a
single element, two systems have been devised. One system, the Stock System, uses Roman
numerals to indicate the particular charge. For example, an iron atom may be plus two or plus three.
Iron (II) ion is the name for the ion with a plus two charge, whereas iron (III) ion describes an iron
atom with a positive three charge.
Sometimes symbols do not reflect common names because the symbol reflects an ancient
language name. The chemical symbol for iron, Fe, reflects the Latin name ferum for this element.
Lets look at another example. Cobalt plus two is written as cobalt (II) ion. And not surprisingly,
cobalt with a plus three charge is named cobalt (III) ion. Can you see how the various charges on
manganese are named?

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As mentioned previously, there are two ways to name ions capable of carrying multiple charges.
When an element is capable of only two charges, such as iron or nickel, the Classical Method of
naming ions can be used to distinguish between the two ionic states. The Classical Method uses the
root of the element and the suffix -ous for the lesser of the two charges and the suffix -ic for the
greater of the two charges. For example, an iron atom with a plus two charge would be ferrous ion. An
iron atom with a plus three charge is the ferric ion. Observe how the two ions of cobalt are named with
this system. Now that you have learned both the Stock and the Classical systems, compare how
several different ions are named using these systems.

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When two or more elements combine, they form compounds. For example, magnesium oxide is
a compound consisting of 60% magnesium and 40% oxygen by mass. Although several elements
(such as silver, gold, and carbon) may be found naturally in their elemental form, most elements are so
reactive, they are only found in compounds. Although there are only 92 naturally occurring elements,
they combine in an almost endless array to form millions of compounds. Most languages contain
names for common chemical compounds. Some English terms you may be familiar with are water, rust,
glass, and bleach.

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The name of a compound describes several features of that compound. The most fundamental
components of a compound are the atoms, and the ratio of those atoms that form the compound. A
chemical formula shows the number and kinds of atoms present in a single unit of any compound. A
subscript is a small number written next to and below elements in a compound and indicates the
number of atoms of that element in the compound. By observing the following chemical formula for
water, we can determine the compound consists of two hydrogen atoms for every one oxygen atom. By
convention, the subscript is omitted when there is just one atom of that element- in this case, oxygen-
present in the compound.

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 Transcript: Honors Chemistry
Chemical Compounds: Naming Chemical Compounds
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Lets look at another example: sodium hydrogen carbonate, commonly known as sodium
bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate is a common ingredient found in antacid tablets. Sodium bicarbonate
reacts with other compounds within the tablet to produce the familiar fizz when dissolved in water. The
chemical formula for sodium bicarbonate is NaHCO3, which describes a compound consisting of one
sodium atom, one hydrogen atom, one carbon atom, and three oxygen atoms.

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Some common compound names that were previously mentioned were bleach, water, glass,
and rust, and we could have continued to name many more. Water is technically dihydrogen monoxide;
rust is iron (III) oxide; glass is silicon dioxide, and bleach is sodium hypochlorite. Languages evolve
terms for compounds that are commonly utilized or encountered; however, names such as water,
rust, and bleach tell us nothing about the chemistry of these compounds. Furthermore, the worlds
languages prescribe their own terms for these compounds, which makes global communication even
more difficult. For example, dihydrogen monoxide can be referred to as water, agua, or nuoc,
depending on which language is being spoken. To avoid confusion among scientists of different
nationalities, the chemistry profession has established a system of rules for naming compounds and
adheres to them on a global basis.

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Chemical compounds are classified as either organic or inorganic. The study of inorganic
chemistry leads to the study of organic chemistry. The differences between these two types of
compounds are so significant that chemistry courses, textbooks, and academic degrees are specialized
in either organic or inorganic chemistry.
Organic chemistry is life-based; organic chemistry describes the chemistry of living or once-
living organisms. Organic compounds (and there are millions and millions of them) are usually centered
around the versatile carbon atom. Some examples of organic compounds you may be familiar with are
sugars and proteins. Examples of organic compounds you may not associate with living things are
gasoline, alcohol, and aspirin.

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Introductory chemistry focuses on the study of inorganic compounds. Inorganic compounds may
contain carbon, but most of them do not. Inorganic compounds are not made by living organisms, but
contribute to life in many ways. For example, most living organisms require oxygen, and are composed
to a large degree of the inorganic compound water. This program, designed for the beginning chemistry
student, will concentrate on the naming of inorganic compounds.

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Inorganic compounds can be divided into ionic and molecular compounds. Ionic compounds are
composed of two or more ions formed from metals and nonmetals. Ions combine in a process known as
ionic bonding, which results in neutrally charged ionic compounds. Molecular compounds are formed
from nonmetals that combine in a process known as covalent bonding. Bonding between atoms is a
separate topic in chemistry, and will be covered in another program. Molecular compounds are easier
to name than ionic compounds, so you will learn to name them first.

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 Transcript: Honors Chemistry
Chemical Compounds: Naming Chemical Compounds
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Molecular compounds contain only nonmetals. Molecular compounds are sometimes referred to
as binary covalent compounds. The term binary means two parts, and covalent describes the
particular type of bonding that takes place between the two atoms. To name a binary molecular
compound, simply specify the number of atoms of each element using a numerical prefix, and add the
suffix -ide to the second element in the molecule. If there is only one atom of the first element, no
prefix is used, since a one is understood. Lets try an example. CO2 would be described as carbon
dioxide. Carbon refers to the single carbon atom, and dioxide describes the two oxygen atoms of
the second element. Try this one: N2O5. Can you see why this compound would be named dinitrogen
pentoxide?

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When elements combine to form compounds, metals tend to lose electrons, forming cations,
and nonmetals tend to gain electrons, forming anions. A compound that is composed entirely of ions is
called an ionic compound. Again, the term binary means two parts. Binary ionic compounds contain
two ions one cation, and one anion. For example, sodium chloride is a binary compound formed
between the sodium cation and the chloride anion. These opposite charges combine to form a neutral
compound. You can think of the positive and negative charges as canceling out. To name a binary ionic
compound, simply write the name of the cation, followed by the name of the anion. As you can see, the
term ion is omitted, because binary ionic compounds, like all compounds, are electrically neutral.

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Lets practice a little more naming binary ionic compounds by determining just how the cations
and anions assume their charge. Magnesium oxide is the compound formed between the elements
magnesium and oxygen. Magnesium, being a metal, readily gives up two electrons to oxygen, which in
turn gains those two electrons. On your screen, youll see an overall exchange of four electrons,
because the balanced equation contains two atoms each of magnesium and oxygen. This exchange of
electrons forms the magnesium cation and the oxygen anion. When the ions combine, the changes on
the individual atoms cancel out, resulting in no overall charge on the compound. Therefore, no charge
is indicated when writing the chemical formula. Can you name the following compound: Ca3N2? When
calcium and nitrogen combine, calcium metal gives up two electrons to gaseous nitrogen, forming the
cation calcium ion, and the anion nitride. As a result, calcium and nitrogen form the calcium nitride
compound.

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Whereas binary ionic compounds are composed of just two ions one anion and one cation
other compounds contain several ionic species. These compounds are called polyatomic ions.
Polyatomic literally means many atoms. By now, you know the term ion indicates a charged
chemical species. Polyatomic ions are tightly bound groups of atoms that behave as a unit. One
example of a compound containing polyatomic ions is ammonium nitrate, composed of the polyatomic
ions ammonium and nitrate. Ammonium nitrate is a fertilizer added to nitrogen-depleted soils. Another
example of a compound containing polyatomic ions is sodium carbonate, composed of a sodium ion
and the polyatomic carbonate ion. Keep in mind that sodium is not a polyatomic ion; it is a monoatomic
cation, but combines with a polyatomic anion to form a polyatomic compound. Some polyatomic ions,
like ammonium, retain their historical name and must be memorized. However, most polyatomic ions
follow established naming conventions.

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 Transcript: Honors Chemistry
Chemical Compounds: Naming Chemical Compounds
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Most polyatomic ions contain oxygen atoms and are referred to as oxyanions. Oxyanions
serve as good examples for naming polyatomic anions. When there are two members in a series of
oxyanions, the ion with the least number of oxygen atoms is given the suffix -ite, and the ion with the
most oxygen atoms is given the suffix -ate. This is a series of two anions with different oxygen counts.
In addition to sulfur, the ion on the left contains three oxygen atoms; the ion on the right contains four.
The ion with the fewer number of oxygen atoms is the sulfite ion, and the ion on the right would be a
sulfate ion.

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When there are four members in a series of oxyanions, the ion with the fewest number of
oxygen atoms is assigned the prefix hypo-. Hypo is a Greek term meaning below or less than.
The ion with the most number of oxygen atoms is provided with the prefix per-, which means above
or excessive. Referring to our rules, we will work from left to right on your screen. The ion on the far
left contains the fewest oxygen atoms and in addition to assuming the -ite suffix, it is assigned the
prefix hypo-, meaning least. The two middle ions are treated like a series of two and are provided
with the suffixes -ite and -ate respectively. The last ion contains the most oxygen atoms in this series
and therefore is given the prefix per-, meaning more than. This ion assumes the suffix -ate
because it is nearest the chlorate ion.

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Several polyatomic ions contain a hydrogen atom. When the hydrogen atom precedes the other
elements, the ion is named simply by adding the prefix hydrogen and naming the ion. If there is more
than one hydrogen atom, the number of hydrogen atoms present must be indicated in the name. Take
for example hydrogen carbonate. Try another one. Can you see why this ion would be named
dihydrogen phosphate? The phosphate is the anion and since there are two hydrogens, the prefix
di-, is applied.

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Ionic compounds that contain polyatomic ions may contain several different atoms but are
named in a similar manner as binary ionic compounds. You may recall that binary ionic compounds are
named by first stating the cation followed by the root name of the anion and the suffix -ide. When
naming compounds containing polyatomic ions, first name the cation followed by the polyatomic anion.

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A good example of a compound containing a polyatomic ion is copper (II) nitrate. How do you
know the charge in the metal is plus two? By knowing the charge on the polyatomic ion, and knowing
the compounds are electrically neutral, you can deduce the charge on the cation. Lets see how the
charge on the cation is determined. Because the anion nitrate has a minus one charge, and
compounds have no overall charge, the charge on the copper atom must be plus two. Since the copper
cation can be plus one or plus two, the specific charge must be indicated in the formula name using
Roman numerals, so the cation is written as copper (II). The ion is the nitrate ion, so the name of the
compound is copper (II) nitrate.

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 Transcript: Honors Chemistry
Chemical Compounds: Naming Chemical Compounds
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Another example of a compound containing a polyatomic ion is calcium phosphate, which is
found in bones and adds to their strength. To name this compound, first name the cation, which in this
case is calcium. Calcium is only capable of assuming one charge: plus two. If an atom is capable of
forming only one charge, the charge is not stated in the chemical name. Next, we name the polyatomic
ion, which as you learned earlier, would be phosphate. Finally, combining the names of the cation and
the anion gives us the name of this compound: calcium phosphate. Observe once again how the
negative and positive charges balance, resulting in a compound with no overall charge.

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Acids are compounds composed of hydrogen ions and anions. The atomic structure of
hydrogen is different from all other atoms, because the hydrogen nucleus does not contain a neutron. A
hydrogen atom is simply one proton orbited by one electron. So a hydrogen ion that has lost its electron
is simply a proton. Acids dissolve in water, resulting in a separation, or dissociation, of the hydrogen ion
and anion. Therefore, acids can be thought of as compounds that release protons when dissolved in
water. The rules for naming acids depend on whether or not the acid contains oxygen. If the acid does
not contain oxygen, the name of the acid comes from the root name of the anion; in this case, chlor-
from chlorine. The acids name includes the prefix hydro-, the root name of the anion, the suffix -ic
and the word acid. In this example, the chemical formula HCl describes a compound known as
hydrochloric acid.

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When an acid contains oxygen, the suffix of the anion is replaced with either -ic or -ous.
Anions ending in -ate are replaced by the suffix -ic and anions ending in -ite are replaced by the
suffix -ous. For example, the nitrate ion containing a hydrogen atom dissociates in water, forming
nitric acid. Again, the word acid follows the name of the compound to describe a proton donor
dissolved in solution. How would you name the acid formed from the nitrite ion? Because nitrite ends in
-ite, the acid is given the suffix -ous, and the compound would be named nitrous acid.

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Now that you know how to name the two categories of acid compounds, you should review the
following examples. The compounds to the left of your screen do not contain oxygen, so the name of
the acid comes from the root name of the anion, such as bromine and fluorine. The acids name
includes the prefix hydro-, the root name of the anion, the suffix -ic, and the word acid. When an acid
contains oxygen, the suffix of the anion is replaced with either -ic or -ous. Anions ending in -ate are
replaced by the suffix -ic, as in phosphoric acid, and anions ending in -ite are replaced by the suffix
-ous, such as hypochlorous acid.

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In review, elements are composed of atoms, and the structure of an atom is responsible for the
properties of elements. In this program, you investigated how several of the 112 known elements were
named, based on appearance, chemical properties, and folklore. Then you looked at how these
elements are categorized and arranged in the Periodic Table. Chemical compounds such as water are
defined as two or more elements that are chemically bonded together, and you learned how they are
classified as either organic or inorganic. The need to standardize the naming of compounds became
obvious as more and more chemical compounds were discovered or produced, and you learned how to
name several types of inorganic compounds.

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 Transcript: Honors Chemistry
Chemical Compounds: Naming Chemical Compounds
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Standardized methods for naming chemicals allows the scientific community to communicate
effectively. The system composed of methods, rules, and guidelines for naming chemicals is known as
chemical nomenclature. As a result of viewing this program, you have learned to recognize and name
many commonly encountered chemical species. You now know that most chemicals are known by their
scientific name, but several compounds, such as water and ammonia, are referred to by common
names. Understanding chemical nomenclature is difficult at first and requires a lot of practice. The
interactive tutorials and test provided in this program will allow you to practice and improve some of the
skills needed for mastering chemical nomenclature.

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