Question

Name the following compounds. a. \(\mathrm{HClO}_{3}\) b. \(\mathrm{CoCl}_{3}\) c. \(\mathrm{B}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{3}\) d. \(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) e. \(\mathrm{HC}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{O}_{2}\) f. \(\mathrm{Fe}\left(\mathrm{NO}_{3}\right)_{3}\) g. \(\mathrm{CuSO}_{4}\)

Short answer

a. Chloric Acid b. Cobalt(III) Chloride c. Diboron Trioxide d. Water e. Acetic Acid f. Iron(III) Nitrate g. Copper(II) Sulfate

Step-by-step solution

Identify Compound Type

This is an acid, as it starts with hydrogen (H) and ends with an oxygen (O) containing anion.

Name the Acid

Since this is an oxyacid having "chlorine" and "oxygen" atoms, the "ate" suffix will be used for naming the anion. Chlorate anion is named as \(\mathrm{ClO}_{3}^-\), thus the acid will be named "Chloric Acid". Answer: Chloric Acid #b. CoCl3#

Identify Compound Type

This is an ionic compound, as it consists of a metal (Cobalt) and a non-metal (Chlorine).

Name the Ionic Compound

The metal (Cobalt) will keep its name, while the non-metal (Chlorine) will be named with the ending "ide." Therefore, the compound is named "Cobalt(III) chloride" (Cobalt has a +3 charge). Answer: Cobalt(III) Chloride #c. B2O3#

Identify Compound Type

This is a binary molecular compound, as it consists of two non-metals (Boron and Oxygen).

Name the Binary Molecular Compound

The first element (Boron) keeps its name, while the second element (Oxygen) changes its name to "oxide." The compound is named "Diboron trioxide." Answer: Diboron Trioxide #d. H2O#

Identify Compound Type

This is a special molecular compound, as it consists of Hydrogen and Oxygen. It is known as water. Answer: Water #e. HC2H3O2#

Identify Compound Type

This is an acid, as it starts with hydrogen (H) and ends with an oxygen (O) containing anion.

Name the Acid

This acid corresponds to the acetate ion \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{O}_{2}^-\), so the acid is named "Acetic acid." Answer: Acetic Acid #f. Fe(NO3)3#

Identify Compound Type

This is an ionic compound, as it consists of a metal (Iron) and a polyatomic anion (Nitrate).

Name the Ionic Compound

The metal's name is Iron and its roman numeral will be (III) because it has a +3 charge, while the polyatomic anion is nitrate (\(\mathrm{NO}_{3}^-\)). Therefore, the ionic compound's name is "Iron(III) nitrate." Answer: Iron(III) Nitrate #g. CuSO4#

Identify Compound Type

This is an ionic compound, as it consists of a metal (Copper) and a polyatomic anion (Sulfate).

Name the Ionic Compound

The metal's name is Copper and its roman numeral will be (II) because it has a +2 charge, while the polyatomic anion is sulfate (\(\mathrm{SO}_{4}^{2-}\)). Therefore, the ionic compound's name is "Copper(II) sulfate." Answer: Copper(II) Sulfate

Key concepts

Ionic Compounds

Ionic compounds are a common topic in chemical nomenclature, and understanding them is essential. Composed of metals and non-metals, or metals and polyatomic ions, they form when atoms transfer electrons, resulting in positively charged cations and negatively charged anions. This electron transfer creates a strong electrostatic attraction that holds the different ions together.
Within ionic compounds, the metal component retains its element name, while the non-metal or polyatomic ion parts often undergo a name change. For example:

• Non-metals typically adopt an "ide" ending, such as Chlorine becoming Chloride, forming 'Cobalt(III) Chloride' for CoCl₃.
• Polyatomic ions keep their specific names like sulfate or nitrate, as in 'Copper(II) Sulfate' (CuSO₄) and 'Iron(III) Nitrate' (Fe(NO₃)₃). The version number is indicated by Roman numerals, denoting the metal's oxidation state—a crucial component in naming.

Learning to name ionic compounds is about recognizing the cation and anion and knowing the rules for altering the non-metal or polyatomic ion's name.

Binary Molecular Compounds

Binary molecular compounds differ from ionic compounds, as they involve two non-metal elements. These are covalent compounds, meaning the atoms share electrons. When naming binary molecular compounds, each element's prefix indicates the number of atoms involved, and the name of the last element is modified to end with "ide."
For example, in the compound B₂O₃:

• Boron remains as Boron, but a prefix 'Di-' is added to show there are two boron atoms, forming the start of the name as diboron.
• Oxygen becomes "oxide"; with three oxygen atoms present, the prefix 'Tri-' is used, hence trioxide. Together, the compound is called diboron trioxide.

Memorizing these prefixes (mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, etc.) is key to mastering this naming convention and accurately producing and identifying compound names.

Acids Naming

Naming acids can be tricky, but it becomes simpler once you understand the distinction between two main types: binary acids and oxyacids.

• Binary acids are composed of hydrogen and one other non-metal. They are named with the prefix 'hydro-', followed by the non-metal name altered to end with 'ic' and finally, the word 'acid'. An example is hydrochloric acid (HCl).
• Oxyacids include hydrogen, oxygen, and another element. These acids are named based on their polyatomic ions. If the ion ends with 'ate', the acid name transforms to 'ic', as seen in chloric acid (HClO₃), derived from the chlorate ion. With a polyatomic ion ending in 'ite', change to 'ous'.

By recognizing these patterns, you can easily navigate through chemical formulas and effectively name acids like acetic acid (HC₂H₃O₂), where the acetate ion forms the foundation for its name.