Translating Word Equations and Naming Compounds.

Just a quick review..

Translating word equations:

Lets say you have the equation

Magnesium + Chlorine ----> magnesium chloride

Now since magnesium and chlorine are not compounds it is very simple to write their symbols.
Remember that chlorine is diatomic.

so Mg + Cl2 -----> magnesium chloride
This is where the charges come in!

Mg = 2 +
Cl = 1-

All you have to do is combine them in proportional ways according to their charge .

You will need 2 Cl to make one Mg. So, that means that there will be one Mg and 2 Cl

therefore the equation is MgCl2.

Naming Compounds

Simple Ionic compounds are very easy. All you do is say the first element and then add the prefix -ide to the end of the non metal and drop the original ending.

for example
NaCl is sodium chlor-ide.

CuS2 is copper sulph-ide.

For the polyatomic ions such as sulphate or phosphate you simply look up the formula unless you know it by heart,(SO4, PO4) then you just combine whatever elements you are using according to charge. Everything stays the same.

Covalent Compounds are two non metals. Here you need different prefixs depending on the number subscripts beside each element.

1-mono
2-di
3-tri
4-tetra
5-penta
6-hexa
7-hepta
8-octa
9-nona
10-deca

The second non metal in the formula always ends with -ide.

If the first non metal does not have a subscript beside it, it means that it is just one. You do not need to say mono. at the beginning.

2 examples:

NF2 is nitrogen di-fluoride

C3S4 is tricarbon tetrafluoride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww_hvRH0Luk Naming compounds.

These are word equations ...