TOPIC 2

CHEMICAL
EQUATIONS
 Objectives

! Symbols of common elements

! Formulae of some elements and

compounds
! Interpretation of chemical formula
! Writing names of common
compounds
! Constucting chemical equations
 Representing Elements

! The symbol for an element may

be derived from
– One of two letters of its English
name
– Two letters of its Latin name.
! In writing symbols the first
letter is always a capital letter
and the second is a small letter.
 Using the First Letter
Name of element Symbol
Hydrogen H
Oxygen O
Carbon C
Iodine I
Nitrogen N
Sulfur S
Fluorine F
Phosphorus P
 Using the two Letters
Name of element Symbol
Helium He
Silicon Si
Magnesium Mg
Aluminium Al
Nickel Ni
Calcium Ca
Zinc Zn
Chlorine Cl
 Using the Latin name
Name of Latin name Symbol
element
Sodium Natrium Na
Copper Cuprium Cu
Iron Ferrum Fe
Potassium Kalium K
Gold Aurum Au
Silver Argentum Ag
 Chemical Formulae
The chemical formula of a substance
shows the types of elements it is
made and the ratio of the number of
these elements.
 Formulae of elements
! Noble gases exist as single
atoms. It does not form compounds due
to its full outer shell (duplet or octet – 8
valence electrons).

Name Symbol
Helium He
Neon Ne
Argon Ar
Xenon Xe
 Formulae of elements
! Non-metallicelements
exists as molecules.
Name Symbol
Hydrogen H2
Oxygen O2
Nitrogen N2
Chlorine Cl2
Bromine Br2
Iodine I2
 Formulae of Compounds
! The formula shows the type of elements
present and the subscript shows the ratio
of the elements present.

Name Formula Number of each type

Water H2O 2
_____ hydrogen atoms
1
_____ oxygen atom
Salt NaCl 1
_____ sodium atom
1
_____ chloride atom
Calcium Ca(OH)2 1
_____ calcium atom
hydroxide 2
_____ oxygen atom
2
_____ hydrogen atom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuNr4Rn17kk
Name Formula Number of each type
2 aluminium atoms
Aluminium Al2(SO4)3 ____
sulphate 3 sulphur atoms
____
12 oxygen atoms
____
Ammonia NH3 1 nitrogen atom
3 hydrogen atoms
Sodium Na2CO3 2 sodium atoms
carbonate 1 carbon atoms
3 oxygen atoms
Zinc Zn(OH)2 1 zinc atom
hydroxide 2 oxygen atoms
2 hydrogen atoms
Two categories of compounds
! Ionic compounds are made when
metals react with non-metals.
! Examples:
sodium + chlorine à sodium chloride

magnesium + oxygen à magnesium oxide

Two categories of compounds
! Covalent compounds are made when
non-metals react with non-metals.
! Examples:
carbon + oxygen à carbon dioxide

nitrogen + hydrogen à ammonia

 Deducing Formulae of
covalent compounds
Note: Prefixes: Mono = 1, di = 2, tri =
3, tetra = 4
Name Symbol
Water H2O
Ammonia NH3
Methane CH4
Carbon monoxide CO
Carbon dioxide CO2
Sulfur dioxide SO2
Hydrogen chloride HCl
Deduce the formula of the following:

Name Symbol
Sulfur trioxide SO3

Silicon dioxide
SiO2
Nitrogen dioxide
NO2
Carbon tetrachloride
CCl4
Exercise 1:
Give the formulae of the following covalent
compound:
No. Covalent compound Formulae of covalent compound
1 Carbon monoxide CO

2 Carbon dioxide CO2

3 Sulfur trioxide SO3

4 Sulfur dioxide SO2

5 Silicon dioxide SiO2

6 Ammonia NH3

7 Methane CH4

8 Hydrogen chloride HCl

9 Nitrogen monoxide NO

10 Nitrogen dioxide NO2

 Exercise 2:
Give the names of the following covalent
compounds:
No. Covalent
compound Name of covalent compound
1 SO2 Sulfur dioxide

2 SO3 Sulfur trioxide

3 CO2 Carbon dioxide

4 CO Carbon monoxide

5 SiO2 Silicon dioxide

6 NH3 ammonia

7 CH4 methane

8 CCl4 tetrachloromethane

9 NO nitrogen monoxide/ nitrogen (II) oxide

10 NO2 Nitrogen dioxide/ nitrogen (IV) oxide

 Writing Formulae of ionic
compounds
! neutral
An ionic compound is ______________
i.e. the total charge of its cations is
equal
always ____________ that of its anions.
! Rules:
– Symbol of metallic element is written first.
– Number of atoms is written as subscript. “1”
is usually ignored.
– Oxygen atom is usually written at the end of
the formula.
 Charges of common ions
Cations:
+1 +2 +3
+ 2+ 3+
sodium Na magnesium Mg aluminium Al
+ 2+ 3+
potassium K calcium Ca iron(III) Fe
+ 2+
silver Ag lead(II) Pb
+ 2+
hydrogen H zinc Zn
+ 2+
copper(I) Cu copper(II) Cu
+ 2+
ammonium NH4 iron(II) Fe
+ 2+
lithium Li mercury(II) Hg
Anions:
-1 -2 -3
chloride Cl- oxide O2- nitride N3-
bromide Br- sulfide S2- phosphide P3-
I- 2- 3-
iodide sulfate SO4 phosphate PO 4

hydroxide OH- carbonate CO32-

nitrate NO3- sulfite SO32-
hydrogen HCO3-
carbonate
hydrogen HSO4-
sulfate
nitrite NO2-
The Periodic Table & charges of ions
Fe(II) means Fe2+ Mg
Magnesium ion: ______
2+

Fe(III) means Fe3+

S2-
Sulfide ion: _______

1+ 2+ 3+ 3- 2- 1-

How to determine charge of ions using the Periodic Table

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V28_L3gteDo
 Steps in writing
Chemical Formulae
1. Write down the ions involved
2. Balance the positive and
negative charges
3. Write down the chemical
formula without the charges

Steps to write chemical formulae (balance the charges method)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV8Cv2x0SD0
 Using valency method
Valency is the combining power of
an atom or radical.
In general a simple rule is:
valency x valency y

X Y
Chemical formula = XyYx
If x = y, then write XY
Example 1: Sodium chloride
Ions involved: Na+ ions and Cl- ions
To balance charges:
One Na+ ion: 1 ´ (1+) = 1+
balanced
One Cl- ion: 1 ´ (1-) = 1-

Hence Chemical formula = Na1Cl1 = NaCl

Valency Method:
Ions Na Cl
Valency
1 1
Combining
Na1Cl1
Formula
NaCl
Example 2: Sulfuric acid
Ions involved:
H+ ions and SO42- ions
Charges:
One H+ ion: 1 ´ (1+) = 1+ Not
One SO42- ion: 1 ´ (2-) = 2- balanced
To balance charges:
Two H+ ion: 2 ´ (1+) = 2+
balanced
One SO42- ion: 1 ´ (2-) = 2-

Hence Chemical formula = H2SO4

Valency Method:
Ions H SO4
Valency
1 2
Combining
H2(SO4)1
Formula
H2SO4
Example 3: Aluminium oxide
Ions involved:
Al3+ ions and O2- ions
Charges:
One Al3+ ion: 1 ´ (3+) = 3+ Not
One O2- ion: 1 ´ (2-) = 2- balanced
To balance charges:
Two Al3+ ion: 2 ´ (3+) = 6+
balanced
Three O ion:
2- 3 ´ (2-) = 6-

Hence Chemical formula = Al2O3

Valency Method:
Ions Al O
Valency
3 2
Combining
Al2O3
Formula
Al2O3
Example 4: Zinc hydroxide
Ions : Zn2+ ions OH- ions
Charges: +2 -1
Balancing: one ion two ions
1 x(+2) 2 x (-1)

Hence Chemical formula = Zn(OH)2

Valency Method:
Ions Zn OH
Valency
2 1
Combining
Zn1(OH)2
Formula
Zn(OH)2

Note: The use of

brackets for radicals
Example 5: Sodium sulfate
Ions : Na+ ions SO42- ions
Charges: +1 -2
Balancing: two ions one ion
2 x(+1) 1 x (-2)

Hence Chemical formula = Na2SO4

Valency Method:
Ions Na SO4
Valency
1 2
Combining
Na2(SO4)1
Formula
Na2SO4
Compound Ions present Chemical
formulae
silver chloride

sodium hydroxide

magnesium hydroxide

calcium chloride

potassium nitrate

calcium oxide

iron(III) oxide

sodium sulphate
Compound Ions present Chemical
formulae
silver chloride Ag+ Cl- AgCl
sodium hydroxide Na+ OH- NaOH

magnesium hydroxide Mg2+ OH- Mg(OH)2

calcium chloride Ca2+ Cl- CaCl2

potassium nitrate K+ NO3 - KNO3
calcium oxide Ca2+ O2- CaO
iron(III) oxide Fe3+ O2- Fe2O3
sodium sulphate Na+ SO4 2- Na2SO4
 Naming of compounds
Rule Examples
A compound with only two NaCl – sodium
elements has a name chloride
ending in -ide CaO – calcium oxide
Hydroxides are compounds Ca(OH)2 – calcium
that contain OH- hydroxide
A compound containing the NaNO3 sodium nitrate
element oxygen has a name NaNO2 sodium nitrite
ending in -ate or -ite K2SO4 potassium
Note: A compound ending sulfate
with –ite has less oxygen K2SO3 potassium
than that ending with –ate. sulfite
Some metals can form more than one
ion in compounds.

In other words, these metallic elements

can have more than one charges. They
variable charges
are said to have ________________.

Roman numeral
A _______________ (I, II, III, IV
etc) is used to indicate the charge /
valency of these metallic ions.
 Compound Ions
Name Formula
Copper (I) oxide Cu2O Cu+
2+
Copper (II) oxide CuO Cu
2+
Iron (II) chloride FeCl2 Fe
Iron (III) chloride FeCl3 Fe3+

Try this:
Write the chemical formula of the following
compounds:
lead(II) nitrate ; iron(III) carbonate
copper(I) sulfate; mercury(I) chloride
Try this [ANSWERS]:
Write the chemical formula of the following
compounds:
lead(II) nitrate Pb2+ and NO3 - Pb(NO3)2
iron(III) carbonate Fe3+ and CO3 2- Fe2(CO3)3
copper(I) sulfate Cu+ and SO4 2- Cu2SO4
mercury(I) chloride Hg+ and Cl - HgCl
 Chemical Reactions
! When Chemical reaction takes place,
– substances react to form new
substances
– energy is usually taken in to break up
reactant molecules into atoms followed
by release of energy due to the
rearrangement and recombination of the
atoms to form the products
 SUBSTANCE A
PRODUCT
+
SUBSTANCE B
 PRODUCT 1

SUBSTANCE A
+
PRODUCT 2
Example 1: Hydrogen with chlorine
Hydrogen burns in chlorine. This reaction is used
to manufacture hydrochloric acid.
It is explosive in the presence of UV.

+ hydrogen
chloride
Mechanism:

Cl

H H Cl

Energy is
required for the
reaction.
Mechanism:

Cl

H H Cl

Energy absorbed for

breaking hydrogen
molecule into atoms
and chlorine molecule
into atoms.
Mechanism:

H Cl

H Cl

Energy released during recombination.

One hydrogen atom chemically combines
with one chlorine atom to form one
hydrogen chloride molecule.
 Cl H Cl
H
H +
Cl H Cl

Word equation:
Hydrogen + Chlorine → Hydrogen chloride

Chemical equation:

H2 + Cl2 ® 2HCl
Example 2: Hydrogen with Oxygen

H O
O H
H H H H O O H
H H
H O
H H O O H
H O
H H

When hydrogen burns in oxygen, the atoms

regroup to form new molecules of water. All the
new molecules are the same.
Hydrogen + Oxygen ® Water
2H2 + O2 ® 2H2O
 Chemical Equations

! A chemical equation is used

to describe a chemical
reaction.
! The left-hand side of the
equation represent the
reactants while the right
hand side represents the
products.
Fuse School: Balancing equations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qquOFYOpdl0
Example: Hydrogen and Oxygen
Atom Count
H H
H H O
+ O O ®
H H H H
O

Atoms LHS RHS

H 2 + 2 = 4 2 + 2 = 4

O 2 1 + 1 = 2

Chemical equation: 2H2 + O2 ® 2H2O

 Note:
Atoms are not created
or destroyed during a reaction.
Instead, it involves only a
rearrangement of atoms
to form new molecules.
 I.e. Number of each type
of atoms before and after the
reaction is the same
- Balanced Chemical
equations
 Steps in writing a balanced
chemical equation
ΠWrite down the equation in words (word equation).
 Write the correct chemical formula for the
reactant and products.
Ž Balance equation by ensuring the number of atoms
of each element before and after the reaction
remains the same.
(Note: In balancing, do not change any formula.
Balance by writing numbers in front of the formula)
 Put in the state symbols on the right hand side of
the substance.
(s) for solid, (l) for liquid, (g) for gas and (aq) for
aqueous/solution
Example 1:
Reaction of Iron and Sulfur

Œ Iron + Sulfur ® Iron(II) sulfide

(Reactants) (Product)
 Fe + S ® FeS
Ž LHS: 1 iron atom RHS: 1 iron atom
1 sulfur atom 1 sulfur atom
 Fe(s) + S(s) ® FeS(s)
Example 2:
Burning of magnesium ribbon in air
produces magnesium oxide.
Œ Magnesium + Oxygen ® Magnesium Oxide
(Reactants) (Product)
 Mg + O2 ® MgO

Ž LHS: 1 Mg atom RHS: 1 Mg atom

2 O atoms 1 O atom
Try: Putting a 2 in front of MgO
We have: Mg + O2 ® 2MgO
LHS: 1 Mg atom RHS: 2 Mg atom
2 O atoms 2 O atoms
Try: Putting a 2 in front of Mg
We have: 2Mg + O2 ® 2MgO
LHS: 2 Mg atoms RHS: 2 Mg atoms
2 O atoms 2 O atoms
It is now balanced !!!!!!!!
 2Mg(s) + O2(g) ® 2MgO(s)
Example 3:
Reaction of Zinc with Dilute nitric acid.
Œ Zinc + Nitric acid ® Zinc nitrate + Hydrogen
 Zn + HNO3 ® Zn(NO3)2 + H2
Ž LHS: 1 Zn atom RHS: 1 Zn atom
1 H atom 2 H atoms
1 N atom 2 N atoms
3 O atoms 6 O atoms
Try: Putting a 2 in front of HNO3
We have: Zn + 2HNO3 ® Zn(NO3)2 + H2
LHS: 1 Zn atom RHS: 1 Zn atom
2 H atoms 2 H atoms
2 N atoms 2 N atom
6 O atoms 6 O atoms
It is now balanced !!!!!!!!
 Zn(s) + 2HNO3(aq) ® Zn(NO3)2(aq) + H2(g)
Example 4:
Reaction of Calcium carbonate with Dilute
hydrochloric acid.
Œ Calcium carbonate + hydrochloric acid ®
Calcium chloride + Carbon dioxide + Water
 CaCO3 + HCl ® CaCl2 + CO2 + H2O
Ž LHS: 1 Ca atom RHS: 1 Ca atom
1 C atom 1 C atom
3 O atoms 3 O atoms
1 H atom 2 H atoms
1 Cl atom 2 Cl atoms
Try: Putting a 2 in front of HCl
We have: CaCO3 + 2HCl ® CaCl2 + CO2 + H2O
LHS: 1 Ca atom RHS: 1 Ca atom
1 C atom 1 C atom
3 O atoms 3 O atoms
2 H atoms 2 H atoms
2 Cl atoms 2 Cl atoms
 CaCO3 (s) + 2HCl (aq)
® CaCl2 (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O (l)
Write balanced chemical equation for the following
reactions:
1. Sodium + Chlorine ® Sodium chloride
2. Nitrogen + Hydrogen ® Ammonia
3. Iron + Chlorine ® Iron(III) chloride
4. Methane + Oxygen ® Carbon dioxide + Water
5. Magnesium + Sulfuric acid
® Magnesium sulfate + Hydrogen
1. 2Na + Cl2 ® 2NaCl

2. N2 + 3H2 ® 2NH3

3. 2Fe + 3Cl2 ® 2FeCl3

4. CH4 + 2O2 ® CO2 + 2H2O

5. Mg + H2SO4 ® MgSO4 + H2
 GSCE Concept Map for Topic 2
Generate – Sort – Connect – Elaborate Concept Map
• Generate a list of ideas & initial thoughts about the topic.
• Sort your ideas according to how central they are. Remember to
place the central ideas near the center.
• Connect your ideas by drawing connecting lines. Explain and
write on the line how the ideas are connected.
• Elaborate on any ideas by adding new lines that expand.
 GSCE Concept Map for Topic 2
Concept of Common
balancing formulae to
equations memorise

Topic 2

Writing
Writing
formulae of
formulae of
elements
compounds