Give the chemical names of each of the following familiar compounds: (a) NaCl (table salt) (b) NaHCO3 (baking soda) (c) NaOCl (in many bleaches) (d) NaOH (caustic soda) (e) (NH4)2CO3 (smelling salts) (f) CaSO4 (plaster of Paris).

Verified step by step guidance

Identify the cation and anion in each compound to determine the chemical name.

For NaCl, recognize that Na is sodium and Cl is chloride, so the compound is sodium chloride.

For NaHCO3, identify Na as sodium, HCO3 as bicarbonate, resulting in sodium bicarbonate.

For NaOCl, note that Na is sodium and OCl is hypochlorite, leading to sodium hypochlorite.

For NaOH, recognize Na as sodium and OH as hydroxide, thus the compound is sodium hydroxide.

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Ionic Compounds

Ionic compounds are formed when atoms transfer electrons, resulting in the formation of charged ions. These compounds typically consist of a metal and a non-metal, where the metal donates electrons to become a positively charged cation, and the non-metal accepts electrons to become a negatively charged anion. Understanding the formation and naming conventions of ionic compounds is essential for identifying the chemical names of compounds like NaCl and NaOH.

Common Nomenclature

Common nomenclature refers to the systematic naming of chemical compounds based on established rules. For ionic compounds, the name of the cation is stated first, followed by the anion. Additionally, certain compounds have common names that are widely recognized, such as 'table salt' for NaCl and 'baking soda' for NaHCO3, which are important for understanding the context of the question.

Polyatomic Ions

Polyatomic ions are ions composed of two or more atoms that are covalently bonded and carry a net charge. They play a crucial role in the naming of compounds that contain them, such as NaHCO3 (baking soda) which contains the bicarbonate ion (HCO3-), and (NH4)2CO3 (smelling salts) which contains the ammonium ion (NH4+). Recognizing these ions is vital for accurately determining the chemical names of various compounds.

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Polyatomic Ion Variations

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Textbook Question

Fill in the blanks in the following table:

Cation Anion Formula Name

Lithium oxide

Fe²⁺ PO₄^3-

Al₂(SO₄)₃

Copper(II) nitrate

Cr³⁺I⁻

MnClO₂

Ammonium carbonate

Zinc perchlorate

Complete the third column of the table.

Complete the fourth column of the table.

Textbook Question

Elements in the same group of the periodic table often form oxyanions with the same general formula. The anions are also named in a similar fashion. Based on these observations, suggest a chemical formula or name, as appropriate, for each of the following ions: (a) BrO₄^- (b) SeO₃^2- (c) arsenate ion

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Textbook Question

Many familiar substances have common, unsystematic names. For each of the following, give the correct systematic name: (a) salt peter, KNO₃ (b) soda ash, Na₂CO₃ (c) lime, (d) muriatic acid, HCl, CaO (e) Epsom salts, MgSO₄ (f) milk of magnesia, Mg(OH)₂.

Textbook Question

Because many ions and compounds have very similar names, there is great potential for confusing them. Write the correct chemical formulas to distinguish between (a) sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, (b) potassium peroxide and potassium oxide, (c) aluminum nitride and aluminum nitrite, (d) iron(II) oxide and iron(III) oxide

Textbook Question

Because many ions and compounds have very similar names, there is great potential for confusing them. Write the correct chemical formulas to distinguish between (e) hydride ion and hydroxide ion, (f) magnesium nitride and magnesium nitrite, (g) mercurous chloride and mercuric chloride, (h) cuprous oxide and cupric oxide.