Question

Explain the specific ways to be followed while naming chemical compounds?

Answer 1

1. In naming a compound containing a metal and a non-metal, the name of the metal is written first and the name of the non-metal is written next after adding the suffix-ide to its name.

Examples:

NaCl – Sodium chloride

AgBr – Silver bromide

2. In naming a compound containing a metal, a non-metal and oxygen, name of the metal is written first and name of the non-metal with oxygen is written next after adding the suffix- ate (for more atoms of oxygen) or -ite (for less atoms of oxygen) to its name.

Examples:

Na₂SO₄ – Sodium sulphate

Na₂ – Sodium nitrite

3. In naming a compound containing two non – metals only, the prefix mono, di, tri, tetra, penta etc. is written before the name of non – metals. 

Examples: 

SO₂ – Sulphur dioxide

N₂O₅ – Dinitrogen pentoxide.