General Chemistry

Writing and Naming Covalent Compounds

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this lesson, you MUST be able to:
1. Define covalent compounds
2. Describe covalent bond formation
3. Write the chemical formula of covalent compounds
4. Name covalent compounds

Formation of Covalent Compounds

➢ A Positively - Charged Cation interacts with a negatively - charged anion through
electrostatic forces of attraction. The resulting bond between them is called an Ionic
Bond and the resulting compound is called an Ionic Compound.

➢ Covalent Compounds are compounds that are formed when two or more
nonmetals form a bond with each other.

➢ The bond that holds these nonmetals together is stabilized by electron-sharing and is
called a Covalent Bond.

Covalent Bonds
➢ Electron - sharing occurs because atoms tend to gain more stability when their
Valence Shell is completely filled.
➢ A full Valence Shell is often characterized by a complete set of eight electrons,
which is why this phenomenon is often called the Octet Rule.

Octet Rule
➢ The Octet Rule is a general rule of thumb that describes the tendency of atoms to
have a complete set of eight electrons in their valence shell.
➢ Atoms prefer this because they achieve Noble Gas Configuration.
➢ Recall that s orbitals can accommodate up to 2 electrons only while p orbitals can
accommodate up to six electrons, thus summing up to eight electrons.

❖ Each hydrogen atom has only one electron in its valence shell (H electron
1
configuration: 1s ).

❖ The oxygen atom has six electrons in its valence shell (O electron configuration:
2 2 4
1s 2s 2p ).

❖ When each hydrogen atom shares its electron to oxygen, the valence shell of
oxygen acquires eight electrons

Ionic Compounds are formed from the transfer of electron(s) between a cation and an
anion. This electron-transfer forms an Ionic Bond. Meanwhile, Covalent Compounds are
formed from the sharing of electron(s) between Nonmetal Elements. This electron-sharing
forms a Covalent Bond.

Writing Chemical Formulas

➢ Covalent Compounds are made up of two or more nonmetals that are chemically
bonded together.
➢ One characteristic of covalent compounds is that they are named using the Greek
prefixes mono-, di-, tri-, tetra- and so on.
➢ In addition, it also uses the suffix -ide, just like how Binary Ionic Compounds are
named.
 Writing Chemical Formulas

➢ One more consideration in writing the chemical formula of covalent compounds is

the unwritten rule that the Greek prefix mono- is never used in naming the first
element of a Covalent Compound.

➢ For example, the chemical formula for carbon dioxide is CO2. Even though the
Greek prefix mono- is absent in the name, it is understood that there is only one
carbon atom in carbon dioxide.

Let's Practice!
1. What is the chemical formula for the covalent compound named Nitrogen
Monoxide?

 There are one nitrogen and one oxygen in Nitrogen Monoxide. Therefore, its
chemical formula is NO.

2. What is the chemical formula for the covalent compound named Iodine
Pentafluoride?

 There are one iodine and five fluorine atoms in Iodine Pentafluoride. Therefore, its
chemical formula is IF5.

3. What is the chemical formula for the covalent compound named Tetraphosphorus
Decoxide?

 There are four phosphorus and ten oxygen in Tetraphosphorus Decoxide. Therefore,
its chemical formula is P4O10.

Naming Covalent Compounds:

➢ For Binary Covalent Compounds, the element that is found farthest to the left of the periodic
table is typically named first.

➢ If they are both in the same group, the one who is at the lower portion of the periodic table
is named first.

➢ The number of atoms of the element is indicated by the Greek prefix. If the first element has
only one atom, then the prefix mono- is not written.

➢ The second element is then named by attaching the correct Greek prefix to its stem name
and then appending the suffix -ide.

 For example, the covalent compound CO is named Carbon Monoxide.

 The covalent compound P2O5 is Diphosphorus Pentoxide and not Disphosphorus
Pentaoxide.

 The rule for naming binary covalent compounds is: “prefix + name of 1st element” “prefix +
stem name of 2nd element + ide
Let's Practice!
1. What is the name of the covalent compound with the chemical formula CCl4?

 CCl4 is named carbon Tetrachloride

2. What is the name of the covalent compound with the chemical formula PBr3?

 PBr3 is named Phosphorus Tribromide

3. What is the name of the covalent compound with the chemical formula SO2?

 SO2 is named Sulfur Dioxide

4. What is the name of the covalent compound with the chemical formula SO3?

 SO3 is named Sulfur Trioxide

5. What is the name of the covalent compound with the chemical formula N2O?

 N2O is named Dinitrogen Monoxide

6. What is the name of the covalent compound with the chemical formula P4S9?

 P4S9 is named Tetraphosphorus Nonasulfide

7. What is the name of the covalent compound with the chemical formula As4O3?

 As4O3 is named Tetraarsenic Trioxide

If the chemical formula of the covalent compound is given, identify its name. If the name is given,
determine its chemical formula.
1. Hydrogen Iodide
2. P4S6
3. SeF6
4. Phosphorus Tribromide

Chemical Formula Name

HI Hydrogen Iodide
P4S6 Tetraphosphorus Hexasulfide
SeF6 Selenium Hexafluoride
PBr3 Phosphorus Tribromide

➢ Covalent Compounds are compounds that are made of nonmetals chemically bonded to
each other.

➢ Covalent Bonds hold the atoms together in a covalent compound. They are formed when
one or more electrons are shared between two nonmetals.

➢ The Octet Rule is a general rule of thumb that describes the tendency of atoms to have a
complete set of eight electrons in their valence shell.

➢ In writing the chemical formula of covalent compounds given their names, the Greek prefix
preceding an element’s name must be considered. The numerical equivalent of the prefix
must be supplied as the element’s subscript in the chemical formula.

➢ In naming covalent compounds given their chemical formulas, the correct Greek prefix
must again be appended to the elements’ name. The suffix -ide is also appended to the
second element that is named.

➢ The first element to be named in a covalent compound is the element to the leftmost part
of the periodic table. If both elements in the compound are in one group, the element at
the lower part of the periodic table is named first.
 Atomic Mass
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this lesson, you MUST be able to:
1. Define atomic mass
2. Differentiate relative atomic mass and average atomic mass
3. Calculate the average atomic mass of different elements

Atomic Mass
○ The basic unit of matter is Atoms.
○ It is the smallest component of a chemical element.
○ Atoms of each element have specific properties that will determine their chemical
and physical nature.
○ The number of electrons, protons, and neutrons determines the mass of an atom.
○ It is possible to determine the mass of one atom relative to another experimentally.
○ Atomic Mass (also called Atomic Weight) is the mass of the atom expressed in
atomic mass units (amu).
○ One atomic mass unit is referred to as a mass exactly equal to one-twelfth the mass
of one carbon -12 atom.

Relative Atomic Mass

○ Isotopes are atoms that have the same number of protons and electrons but with a
different number of neutrons.
○ This means isotopes also has a different atomic mass.
○ The average weight of all isotopes in a normal environment is called the Relative
Atomic Mass.
○ The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) publishes suggested
values, which are updated every year.
○ The relative atomic mass is a standardized number and is assumed to be true for
most of the planet Earth's crust.

Average Atomic Mass

○ When the natural percentage abundance is considered in calculating the weight of
the naturally occurring isotopes of an element, it is called an Average Atomic Mass.
○ Average atomic mass differs depending on the chemical sample.

 The general formula for the average atomic mass is given below:

 For example, carbon has two naturally occurring isotopes, carbon-12 and carbon-
13. Their average atomic mass can be calculated as follows:

 For example, carbon has two naturally occurring isotopes, carbon -12 and carbon -
13. Their average atomic mass can be calculated as follows:

Let's Practice!
Let's Sum It Up!

○ Atomic Mass (also called Atomic Weight) is the mass of the atom in atomic mass
units (amu). One atomic mass unit is referred to as a mass exactly equal to one-
twelfth the mass of one carbon-12 atom.
○ The average weight of all isotopes in a normal environment in the earth’s crust is
called the Relative Atomic Mass.
○ The Average Atomic Mass is the sum of all naturally occurring isotopes of an element
multiplied to its natural percentage abundance. This is dependent on a given
sample.

Key Formula:
 Mole
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this lesson, you MUST be able to:
1. Define a mole and the Avogadro’s number.
2. Illustrate the relationship between a mole and Avogadro's number.

The Avogadro’s Number

○ Amadeo Avogadro (1776-1856), an Italian scientist, provided a number to quantify
vast number of particles, the Avogadro's number.
○ Avogadro's number (NA) is the actual number of atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12.
The currently accepted value is

○ Usually, we round Avogadro's number to 6.022 X 10 23. It can have different units like
atoms, particles, ions, or molecules depending on the nature of the substance.

The Mole
○ Mole (mol) is the amount of a substance that contains as many elementary entities
(atoms, particles, or molecules) as there are atoms in exactly 12 grams of carbon-12.
○ One mole is equivalent to the Avogadro's number, that is,

For Example:
○ One mole of H2O is 6.022 ✕ 10 23 molecules of H2O.
○ One mole of Na is 6.022 ✕ 10 23 atoms of Na.

Check Your Understanding

I. Classify the following statements as a concept, description, or idea of Avogadro’s
number or mole.

1. It is the measure of the numbers of atoms in SI unit. Description

2. It has a numerical value of 6.022 x 1023. Concept
3. It was first calculated by Joseph Johann Loschmidt. Idea

II. Identify the unit of the following particles if it will be expressed in Avogadro’s number
(i.e atoms, molecules, or ions).
1. Na - Atoms
2. Ba+2 - Ions
3. C12H22O11 - Molecules
4. PbO2 - Molecules
5. Mg - Atoms

Let's Sum It Up!

➢ Avogadro's Number is equivalent to 6.022 x 10 23.
➢ A Mole of a substance
○ Is made of 6.022 x 1023 particles of that substance;
○ Has the same number of particles as exactly as 12 grams of carbon -12, and
○ Has a mass equivalent to atomic, molecular, or formula mass of the substance
expressed in grams.
 Molar Mass
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this lesson, you MUST be able to:
1. Describe the molar mass of elements and compounds.
2. Calculate the molar mass of elements and compounds.

Molar Mass
○ Molar Mass is the mass of the substance per mole. It is often expressed in the unit
grams per mole (g/mol).
○ For an element, the molar mass is numerically equivalent to its atomic mass.
○ For example, the atomic mass of a nitrogen atom is 14.007 amu, which means that
nitrogen has a molar mass of 14.007 g/mol.

 The general formula for the molar mass of a compound is given below:

○ Molecular Mass is defined as the sum of the atomic masses of all elements in a
covalent compound.
 For example, the molecular mass SO2, can be calculated by adding the atomic
mass of its elements.

Formula Mass
○ Formula mass is the sum of the atomic masses in a formula unit of
an ionic compound.

 For example, the formula mass of NaCl, an ionic compound, can

be calculated by adding the atomic mass of sodium and chlorine.

Let's Practice!
Check Your Understanding
I. Write true if the statement is correct. Otherwise, write false.
1. The unit SI unit of molar mass is g· mol−1. True
2. Molar mass is the mass of the substance per mole. It is often expressed in grams per
mole. True
3. One mole of hydrogen atom is equivalent to 1.008 grams. False

II. Calculate the molar masses of the following compounds.

1. Cl2 - Molar mass = 2 × 35.45 g/mol = 70.90 g/mol
2. KOH - Molar mass = 39.10 (K) + 16.00 (O) + 1.01 (H) = 56.11 g/mol
3. BeCl2 - Molar mass = 9.01 (Be) + 2 × 35.45 (Cl) = 9.01 + 70.90 = 79.91 g/mol
4. FeCl3 - Molar mass = 55.85 (Fe) + 3 × 35.45 (Cl) = 55.85 + 106.35 = 162.20 g/mol
5. BF3 - Molar mass = 10.81 (B) + 3 × 19.00 (F) = 10.81 + 57.00 = 67.81 g/mol

Let's Sum It Up!

○ Molar Mass (symbol M, SI unit kg/mol) is the mass of the substance per mole. It is
often expressed in grams per mole.
○ Molecular Mass is defined as the sum of the atomic masses of all elements in a
covalent compound.
○ Formula Mass is defined as the sum of the atomic masses of all elements in an ionic
compound.

Key Formula:

Calculations from Moles to Mass and Vice Versa 1.1

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this lesson, you MUST be able to:
1. Calculate the mass of a given number of moles of an element or compound
and vice versa.
2. Introduce the mass and mole relationship.
3. Determine the mass of a given number of moles of an element or compound
and vice versa.

Mole to Mass Relationship

○ The relationship between mass and mole is given by the molar mass.

Converting Mole to Mass

Schematic diagram of mole to mass conversion

Let's Practice!
 Calculations from Moles to Mass and Vice Versa 1.2
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this lesson, you MUST be able to:
1. Explain the mole-to-number-of-particle relationship.
2. Determine the number of particles of a given number of moles of an element or
compound and vice versa.

Mole-to-Number-of-Particles Relationship
Avogadro’s Number

Particles/ Ions/ Formula Units/ Molecules/ Atoms

Mole to Mole Relationship

○ Recall that for a given chemical formula,

1 mole AxBy contains x moles of A and y moles of B.

Mole-to-Number-of-Particles Relationship / Converting Mole to Number of Particles

Let's Practice!
 ANSWER KEY:
Writing And Naming Covalent Compounds
❖ Formation of Covalent Compounds:
➢ Positively-Charged Cation
➢ Ionic Bond
➢ Ionic Compound
➢ Covalent Compounds
➢ Covalent Bond

❖ Covalent Bonds:
➢ Valence Shell
➢ Octet Rule

❖ Octet Rule
➢ Noble Gas Configuration

Writing Chemical Formulas

❖ Naming Covalent Compounds:

➢ Binary Covalent Compounds

➢ Atomic Mass
○ Atomic Mass (also called Atomic Weight) is the mass of the atom expressed in
atomic mass units (amu).

➢ Relative Atomic Mass

○ Isotopes
○ Relative Atomic Mass.
○ The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) publishes suggested
values, which are updated every year.

➢ Average Atomic Mass

 The general formula for the average atomic mass is given below:

 For example, carbon has two naturally occurring isotopes, carbon-12 and carbon-
13. Their average atomic mass can be calculated as follows:

 For example, carbon has two naturally occurring isotopes, carbon -12 and carbon -
13. Their average atomic mass can be calculated as follows:
 Mole
➢ The Avogadro’s Number
○ Amadeo Avogadro (1776-1856)
○ Avogadro's number (NA) is the actual number of atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12.
The currently accepted value is

➢ The Mole
○ Mole (mol)

Molar Mass
➢ Molar Mass

○ (g/mol)

➢ Molecular Mass

➢ Formula Mass
 Calculations from Moles to Mass and Vice Versa 1.1
Mole to Mass Relationship
○ The relationship between mass and mole is given by the molar mass.

Converting Mole to Mass

Schematic diagram of mole to mass conversion

Calculations from Moles to Mass and Vice Versa 1.2

➢ Mole-to-Number-of-Particles Relationship
Avogadro’s Number

Particles/ Ions/ Formula Units/ Molecules/ Atoms

➢ Mole to Mole Relationship

○ Recall that for a given chemical formula,

1 mole AxBy contains x moles of A and y moles of B.

Mole-to-Number-of-Particles Relationship / Converting Mole to Number of Particles