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Doc Brown's Chemistry Clinic
QUESTIONS:
(1) pick the name given the formula * (2) pick the formula given the
chemical name
KS3-GCSE Elements, Compounds & Mixtures m/c QUIZ (in KS3 Science
section of website)
The fully written out symbol equation with state symbols (often
optional for starter students).
Chemical Symbols and Formula
For any reaction, what you start with are called the reactants, and what you
form are called the products.
So any chemical equation shows in some way the overall chemical change
of ...
Empirical formula and molecular formula are dealt with on another page.
The real 3D shape of the 'molecule' and the 'relative size' of the different
element atoms is ignored.
If the compound is ionic, the ion structure and charge is ignored, its just
treated as a 'formula'.
Always try to fit all the words neatly lined up from left to right,
especially if its a long word equation.
or the subscript number can double, treble etc. a part of the formula
e.g. Ca(OH)2 means 1 Ca and 2 OH's (or 2 O's and 2 H's in total)
If all is correct, then the sum of atoms for each element should be the
same on both side of the equation arrow .....
the 7 equations are first presented in 'picture' style and then written out
fully with state symbols
The individual formulas involved and the word equations will be been
presented in the examples below.
on average one atom of iron chemically combines with one atom of iron
forming one molecule of iron sulphide
Atom balancing, sum left = sum right: 1Fe + 1S = (1Fe combined with
1S)
All the reactants (what you start with) and all the products (what is formed)
are all solids in this case.
When first learning symbol equations you probably won't use state symbols
like (s) at first (see end note).
the reactants are one molecule of sodium hydroxide and one molecule
of hydrochloric acid
the products are one molecule of sodium chloride and one molecule of
water
atom balancing, sum left = right: (1Na + 1O + 1H) + (1H + 1Cl) = (1Na +
1Cl) + (2H + 1O)
atom balancing, sum left = right: (1Mg) + 2 x (1H + 1Cl) = (1Mg + 2Cl) +
(2H)
4. or the formula CuCO3 means one formula of the
compound called copper carbonate, made up of one atom of copper is
combined with one atom of carbon and three atoms of oxygen to form the
compound copper carbonate
H2O (example 2)
the reactants are one formula of copper carbonate and one molecule of
sulphuric acid
the products are one formula of copper sulphate, one molecule of water
and one molecule of carbon dioxide
Using displayed formula the equation would look like this ...
... in which every individual atom is shown and how it is bonded ('connected')
with other atoms in the molecule. All the dashes represent the covalent
bonds between the atoms in the molecules.
note the first use of numbers (3) for the sulphuric acid and water!
so picture three of them in your head, otherwise the picture gets a bit
big!
Al2O3(s) + 3H2SO4(aq) ==> Al2(SO4)3(aq) + 3H2O(l)
atom balancing, sum left = sum right: (2Al + 3O) + 3 x (2H + 1S + 4O) =
(2Al + 3S + 12O) + 3 x (2H + 1O)
e.g. carbon dioxide gas CO2(g), liquid water H2O(l), solid sodium chloride 'salt'
NaCl(s)
In many reactions only certain ions change their 'chemical state' but
other ions remain in exactly the same original physical and chemical
state.
The ionic equation represents the 'actual' chemical change and omits
the spectator ions.
e.g. any acid-alkali neutralisation involves the hydroxide ion is (base) and
this accepts a proton from an acid.
H+(aq) + OH-(aq) ==> H2O(l) which is the ionic equation for neutralisation
but the spectator ions are nitrate NO3- and sodium Na+ which do not change
at all,
Note that ionic equations omit ions that do not change there chemical or
physical state.
In this case the nitrate (NO3-(aq)) and sodium (Na+(aq)) ions do not change
physically or chemically and are called spectator ions,
BUT the aqueous silver ion, Ag+(aq), combines with the aqueous chloride ion,
Cl-(aq), to form the insoluble salt silver chloride, AgCl(s), thereby changing their
states both chemically and physically.
because the spectator ions are nitrate NO3- and potassium K+.
because the spectator ions are chloride Cl- and sodium Na+.
because the spectator ions are chloride Cl- and hydrogen H+.
The sulphate ion SO42-(aq) is the spectator ion, because it doesn't change in
the reaction and can be omitted from the ionic equation. No electrons show
up in the full equations because electrons lost by Mg must equal the
electrons gained by Fe.
Zinc atoms, Zn, oxidised by electron loss and hydrogen ions, H +, are reduced
by electron gain
(d) halogen (more reactive) + halide salt (of less reactive halogen) ==>
halide salt (of more reactive halogen) + halogen (less reactive)
(4) Ion Exchange Resins: Ion exchange polymer resin columns hold
hydrogen ions or sodium ions. These can be replaced by calcium and
magnesium ions when hard water passes down the column. The calcium or
magnesium ions are held on the negatively charged resin. The freed
hydrogen or sodium ions do not form a scum with soap.
(5) Scum formation with hard water: On mixing hard water with soaps
made from the sodium salts of fatty acids, insoluble calcium or magnesium
salts of the soap are formed as a grey precipitate ...
In the case of ions, the charge on the ion is its valency or combining
power (list below).
To work out a formula by combining 'A' with 'B' the rule is:
Aluminium oxide consists of aluminium ions Al3+ and oxide ions O2-
Hydrogen H (1)
Chlorine Cl and
other halogens
(1)
Oxygen O and
sulphur S (2)
Nitrogen (3, 4, 5)
Phosphorus (P 3,5)
Examples of working out covalent formulae
deduced formula of A +
'A' (valency) 'B' (valency)
B
balances 4 of hydrogen H
1 of carbon C (4) 1 x 4 = 4 x 1 = CH4
(1)
balances 3 of chlorine Cl
1 of nitrogen (3) 1 x 3 = 3 x 1 = NCl3
(1)
1 of carbon C (4) balances 2 of oxygen O (2) 1 x 4 = 2 x 2 = CO2
The diagram on the
left illustrates the
three covalent
examples above for
methane CH4
nitrogen trichloride
NCl3
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KS3 Science Quizzes or GCSE Chemistry Notes or Advanced Chemistry Notes *
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