Question

How can you name chemical compounds from their formula in the following cases? Give examples in support of your answer.

(i) If a compound contains only two elements(binary compounds) such of that one of them is metal

Answer 1

Naming of binary compound:

• In the chemical formula of a compound, the elements present are denoted by their symbols and the number of atoms of each element is denoted by writing their number as subscripts to the symbols of the respective elements.
• While writing the formula of an ionic compound, the metal is written on the left-hand side, while the non-metal is written on the right-hand side.
• The name of the metal remains as such, but that of the non-metal is changed to have the suffix ‘ide’.

Example: A compound formed by sodium(metal) and chlorine(Non-metal) is named Sodium Chloride(NaCl).