5.1 Compounds and Chemical Formulas

Chapter 5: Molecules and Compounds
Section 1: Compounds and

Chemical Formulas
Learning Goals
Write chemical formulas.
Determine the total number of each type
of atom in a chemical formula.
Classify elements as atomic or molecular.
Classify compounds as ionic or
molecular.
Forming Compounds
Sodium is an extremely
reactive metal that dulls
almost instantly upon
exposure to air.
Forming Compounds
Chlorine is a yellow gas
with a pungent odor. It is
highly reactive and
poisonous.
Forming Compounds
The compound formed
by sodium and chlorine
is table salt.
The properties of a compound are, in
general, different from the properties
of the elements that compose it.
Forming Compounds
In a compound, the elements combine
in fixed, definite proportions.
 The law of definite proportions (Proust)
▪ Also known as the law of constant
composition
Chemical Formulas
A chemical formula indicates the elements present in a
compound and the relative number of atoms of each.
 For example, H2O is the chemical formula for water; it
indicates that water consists of hydrogen and oxygen
atoms in a 2:1 ratio.
The formula contains the symbol for each element,
accompanied by a subscript indicating the number of
atoms of that element. By convention, a subscript of 1
is omitted.
Chemical Formulas
What are the element ratios for these
common chemical formulas:
 NaCl
 CO2
 C12H22O11
Chemical Formulas
The subscripts in a chemical formula are
part of the compound’s definition—if
they change, the formula no longer
specifies the same compound.
Chemical Formulas
Chemical formulas list the most metallic
elements first.
 The formula for table salt is NaCl, not
ClNa.
In compounds that do not include a
metal, the more metal-like element is
listed first.
Chemical Formulas
Among nonmetals, those to the left in the
periodic table are more metal-like than those
to the right and are normally listed first.
 We write NO2 and NO, not O2N and ON.
Within a single column in the periodic table,
elements toward the bottom are more metal-
like than elements toward the top.
 We write SO2, not O2S.
Chemical Formulas
There are a few historical exceptions in

which the most metallic element is not
listed first, such as the hydroxide ion,
which is written as OH–.
Practice
Write a chemical formula for each
compound:
 The compound containing two aluminum
atoms to every three oxygen atoms
 The compound containing three oxygen
atoms to every sulfur atom
 The compound containing four chlorine atoms
to every carbon atom
Polyatomic Ions
Some chemical formulas contain groups of
atoms that act as a unit. When several groups
of the same kind are present, their formula is
set off in parentheses with a subscript to
indicate the number of that group.
 Mg(NO3)2 indicates a compound containing one
magnesium atom (present as the Mg2+ ion) and two
NO3– groups.
Polyatomic Ions
Many of these groups of atoms have a
charge associated with them and are called
polyatomic ions.
To determine the total number of each type
of atom in a compound containing a group
within parentheses, multiply the subscript
outside the parentheses by the subscript for
each atom inside the parentheses.
Practice
Mg(NO3)2
 Mg = ____
 NO3 = ____
▪ N = ____
▪ O = ____
Practice
Mg3(PO4)2
 Mg = ____
 P = ____
 O = ____
Practice
Al2(SO4)3
 Al = ____
 S = ____
 O = ____
Types of Chemical Formulas
An empirical formula gives the relative number
of atoms of each element in a compound.
A molecular formula gives the actual number
of atoms of each element in a molecule of the
compound.
A structural formula uses lines to represent
chemical bonds and shows how the atoms in a
molecule are connected to each other.
For hydrogen peroxide:
 Molecular formula: H2O2
 Empirical formula: HO
The molecular formula is always a whole-
number multiple of the empirical formula.
 For many compounds, such as H2O, the
molecular formula is the same as the empirical
formula.
A structural formula uses lines to
represent chemical bonds and shows
how the atoms in a molecule are
connected to each other.
 For hydrogen peroxide:
HOOH
Molecular models: three-
dimensional representations of
molecules that are used to
represent compounds.
We use two types of molecular
models:
 ball-and-stick
 space-filling
In ball-and-stick models, we
represent atoms as balls and
chemical bonds as sticks.
The balls and sticks are
connected to represent the
molecule’s shape. The balls are
color coded, and each element is
assigned a color.
In space-filing models, atoms fill the
space between each other to more
closely represent our best idea for how
a molecule might appear if we could
scale it to a visible size.
Let’s take a look at methane:
Identifying Substances
Pure substances may be either
elements or compounds.
Elements may be either atomic or
molecular.
Compounds may be either molecular or
ionic.
Atomic Elements:
 Elements that occur as
single atoms
 Monoatomic
 Most elements
Molecular Elements:
 Elements that occur in
pairs
 Diatomic
 Seven elements
Molecular compounds are compounds
formed from two or more nonmetals.
Ionic compounds
contain one or more
cation paired with one
or more anion.
 In most cases, the cations
are metals and the anions
are nonmetals.
When a metal combines with a nonmetal,
one or more electrons transfer from the
metal to the nonmetal, creating positive
and negative ions that are attracted to
each other.
A compound composed of a metal and a
nonmetal is considered ionic.
The basic unit of ionic compounds is the
formula unit.
Unlike molecular compounds, ionic
compounds do not contain individual
molecules but rather cations and anions
in an alternating three-dimensional
array.
Practice
 Classify each substance as an atomic element,
molecular element, molecular compound, or ionic
compound:
 Krypton
 CoCl2
 Nitrogen
 SO2
 KNO3

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Chapter 5: Molecules and Compounds

Section 1: Compounds and

There are a few historical exceptions in

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