Symbol, Formula and Valency

Chapter-2

Answer to the Short Questions

(a) What is symbol? What is the significance of symbol?

Ans.: A symbol of an element is an abbreviation of the full name of an element.

Thus the symbol of Hydrogen is (H), Oxygen (O) and Nitrogen (N) etc.

Significance of symbol:
1. The symbol of an element represents the name of the element in short e.g.
hydrogen by H, oxygen by O, sodium by Na.
2. The symbol of an element indicates one atom of that element such as H
stands for one atom of hydrogen. Likewise O stands for one atom oxygen, C
for one atom carbon, Na for one atom of sodium etc.
3. The symbol represents one atom of an element and it also stands for the
atomic weight of that element. For example, H means one part by weight of
hydrogen and O means 16 parts by weight of oxygen.

(b)Write down the symbol of: Carbon, Copper, Potassium, Iron and
Calcium.

Ans.: The symbols are as follows:

Full Name Symbol

Carbon C
Copper Cu
Potassium K
Iron Fe
 General Science: Physics and Chemistry 16

Calcium Ca
(c) What is called a formula? Explain the significance of formula.

Ans.: The abbreviated form of the molecule of elements or compounds is called

formula. For example: the formula of water is H2O, calcium carbonate CaCO3
etc.
Significance of formula:
Formula has qualitative and quantitative significance.

Qualitative significance:
1. It represents a particular substance. For example the formula H2O means
the substance water.
2. It also denotes the different elements present in that substance.

Quantitative significance:
1. Formula represents one molecule of a particular substance. For example,
one molecule of sodium Chloride is represented by NaCl.
2. Formula represents the number of atoms of each of the constituent
elements present in the molecule of the compound.
3. A formula represents molecular weight of a particular Substance and the
molecular formula shows the relative weight of the elements presets in the
molecular weight of the compound; for example, CO2 means the
molecular weight of CO2 is 44 and it also represents relative weight of
carbon and oxygen in the mol. Wt of the compound; i.e. in 44 parts by wt.
of carbon dioxide there are 12 parts by weight of carbon and 32 parts by
weight of oxygen.

(d) What is meant by combining capacity of an element? Which element is

taken as unit to determine the valency of an element?

Ans.: The combing capacity of an element with others is called valency. The
valency is measured as the number of hydrogen or equivalent atoms which is
combined with or replaced by one atom of an element.

Generally hydrogen or chlorine atom is combined with most of the element. For
that reason hydrogen and chlorine atom is taken as the unit to determine the
valency of an element.
For example, one hydrogen atom is combined with one chlorine atom in
hydrochloric acid (HCl) compound. So the valency of chlorine is one in HCl.
 Symbol, Formula and Valency 17

Again in calcium chloride (CaCl2) compound two chlorine atoms combine with
one calcium atom. So the valency of calcium is two in CaCl2 compound.

Name of compound Formula Valency

radical
Sulphate SO4 2
Carbonate CO3 2
Nitrate NO3 1
By carbonate HCO3 1
Phosphate PO4 3

(e) What are compound radicals? Give examples of compound radicals.

Ans.: Compound radicals are the group of atoms which act like atoms and
participate in the chemical reaction as a group as like as atoms are called
compound radicals.
Example : Sulphate (SO4) is a radical which is composed with two different
elements sulphur and oxygen. Here, four atoms of oxygen and one atom of
sulphur is combined together and acts as like as an atom as a group. It is
understood clearly from the following reaction:

ZnSO4 + 2NaOH = Na2SO4 + Zn(OH) 2

unchanged
Like this way one atom of carbon and three atoms of oxygen joined together to
form (CO3) radical, one atom of phosphorus and four atoms of oxygen joined
together to form phoshphate radical.

(f) Write down the formula of the following compounds:

Ferrous nitrate, Potassium sulphate, Ammonium carbonate, Copper
sulphate, Magnesium hydrogen carbonate, Lead nitrate, Calcium oxide,
Nitric acid, Sodium carbonate, Iron(II) sulphate, Magnesium hydroxide.
Ans.:
Name of the compound Formulae
Ferrous nitrate Fe(NO3)2
Potassium sulphate K2SO4
Ammonium carbonate (NH4)2CO3
Copper sulphate CuSO4
Magnesium hydrogen carbonate Mg(HCO3)2
 General Science: Physics and Chemistry 18

Lead nitrate Pb(NO3)2

Calcium oxide CaO
Nitric acid HNO3
Sodium carbonate Na2CO3
Iron (II) sulphate FeSO4
Magnesium hydroxide Mg(OH)2

(g) Write down the valency of the following compounds or radicals:

Hydrogen carbonate, Nitrate, Carbonate, Sulphate, Carbon, Copper, Zinc,
Iron, Aluminum, Oxide.

Ans.: The valency of the following elements and radicals are as follows:

Name of radicals/elements valency

Hydrogen carbonates 1
Nitrate 1
Carbonate 2
Sulphate 2
Carbon 4
Copper 2/1
Zinc 2
Aluminum 3
Oxide 2

Answer to the Essay Type Questions

(a) Give the rules of writing symbols with examples.

Ans.: The rules of the writing symbol are as follows:

1. Generally the symbol is represented by the first letter of its English name e.g.
English name Symbol
Hydrogen H
Oxygen O
Nitrogen N
Carbon C
Sulphur S
 Symbol, Formula and Valency 19

Boron B
Phosphorus P
Uranium U

2. When however, the names of two elements begin with the same letter, first
letter in capital is used for one and for the others first letter along with another,
prominently heard in pronouncing the name of the element , are used to represent
the element.
For example
English neme Symbol
Carbon C
Calcium Ca
Cobalt Co
Cadmium Cd
Chlorine Cl
Boron B
Barium Ba
Bismuth Bi
Bromine Br
Beryllium Be

3. Some elements are represents by first letter or first two letters of its Latin
names but there are also some exceptions. For example

English name Latin name Symbol

Sodium Natrium Na
Potassium Kalium K
Copper Cuprum Cu
Silver Argentums Ag
Tin Stanum Sn

(b) What is formula? Write down the differences between symbol and
formula.

Ans.: Symbol : The abbreviated form of the molecule of elements or compounds

is called formula. That is, the shortened form of the molecule of any substance is
called formula. To write the formula of a compound the symbols of the
constituent elements are written side by side and the number of atoms of each
 General Science: Physics and Chemistry 20

element present in the molecule is mentioned as subscript on the right hand side
of the symbols. For example: the formula of water = H2O, the formula of
ammonia = NH3.

The differences between symbol and formula are given below :

Symbol Formula
1. Short name of an element is symbol. 1. Short name of an element or
compound is formula.
2. The symbol of an element indicates 2. The formula of a substance indicates
one atom. one molecule.
3. The symbol of element represents 3. Formula represents molecular weight
the atomic weight of that element. of a particular substance.
4. Symbols contain only one type of 4. Formula represents the number of
atoms. atoms of each of the constituent
elements present in a molecule of the
substance.

(c) What is formula? Write down the in correct formulae given below and
correct the incorrect one and write them.
(i) H2S (ii) H2Cl (iii) Na(OH) 2 (iv) NaCO3 (v) H(NO3) 2 (vi) CaHCO3 (vii)
(NH4) 2SO4 (viii) Fe2 (SO4) 3 (ix) BaCl (x) NO2Cl

Ans.:
Formula Correct/Incorrect Correct formula
(if the given formula is not correct)
(i)H2S correct
(ii)H2Cl incorrect HCl
(iii) Na(OH)2 incorrect NaOH
(iv) NaCO3 incorrect Na(CO3)2
(v)H(NO3)3 incorrect HNO3
(vi)CaHCO3 incorrect Ca(HCO3)2
(vii)(NH4)2SO4 correct
(viii)Fe2(SO4)3 correct
(ix)BaCl incorrect BaCl3
(x)NO2Cl correct
 Symbol, Formula and Valency 21

(d) (i) What type of information we get from the formula of H2SO4?
(ii) What are the number of atoms in the molecule Fe2(SO4)3?

Ans.: (i) The information we get from the above formula are as follows:

Qualitative significance :
1. H2SO4 indicates a particular substance sulphuric acid.
2. The compound sulphuric acid (H2SO4) is composed of hydrogen, sulphur
and oxygen.

Quantitative significance :
1. The formula indicates H2SO4 is a molecule of sulphuric acid.
2. The formula also indicates the molecule contains two atoms of hydrogen,
one atom of sulphur and four atoms of oxygen.
3. The molecular mass of the molecule is 98.
4. The formula means that there are 2 parts of hydrogen, 32 parts of sulphur
and 64 parts of oxygen of the total mass of 98.

(ii) The number of atoms in the molecule are as follows:

Atoms Number of atoms

Fe 2
S 3
O 12

Total atoms 17

(e) The formulas of five oxides are MnO, Mn2O3, MnO2, MnO3, Mn2O7, from
these formulae answer the following questions.
a. What is the symbol of the manganese?
b. In which oxide the valency of manganese is maximum?
c. What are the different valencies of manganese?

Ans.:
(a) The symbol of manganese is Mn.
 General Science: Physics and Chemistry 22

(b) The oxide in which the valency of manganese is maximum is Mn 2O7. In

this compound the valency of manganese is 7.

(c) The different valencies of manganese are as follows :

In MnO, the valency of Mn = 2
In Mn2O3, the valency of Mn = 3
In MnO2, the valency of Mn = 4
In MnO3, the valency of Mn = 6
In Mn2O7, the valency of Mn = 7.

Answer to the Extra Questions

1. What is the formula of element and compound?

Ans.: Formula of elements : The formula of an element is represented by its

symbol with the number of atoms of the element present in the molecule. When
the molecule of an element consists of more than one atom, the fact is expressed
in the formula by placing a number just against the right lower side of the symbol
of the element. For example each hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, chlorine molecule
has two atoms. So their formulae are H2, O2, N2, Cl2 etc. respectively. The
formulae of ozone, sulphur and phosphorus are O3, S6, P4 respectively. Again the
molecule of sodium, potassium etc. consists of one atom (Mono atomic). So their
formulae are Na, K respectively.

Formula of compounds : The molecule of a compound consists of atoms of

more than one element, thus, a molecule of water consists of 2 atoms of
hydrogen and one atom of oxygen.
To write the formula of a compound, the symbol of the constituent elements are
written side by side and the no. of atoms of each element present in a molecule is
indicated by numerals placed slightly below and on the right hand side of the
respective symbol. For example zinc oxide ZnO, sodium chloride NaCl etc. But
when both the elements of a compound are nonmetal, then the more
electronegative element is written later. For example H2O.

2. Why the formula of water is not HO and that of hydrogen chloride is not
H2Cl?
 Symbol, Formula and Valency 23

Ans.: The formula of water is not HO and that of hydrogen chloride is not H 2Cl
because one atom of hydrogen combines with one atom chlorine to produce one
molecule of hydrogen chloride. Two atoms of hydrogen will never combine with
one atom of chlorine. Again one atom of hydrogen will never combine with one
atom of oxygen for producing one molecule of water (H2O). That is, elements
have the definite capability to combine with each other.

3. What is valency?

Ans.: Valency : The combing capacity of an element with others is called

valency. The valency is measured as the number of hydrogen or equivalent atoms
which is combined with or replaced by one atom of an element.
Generally hydrogen or chlorine atom is combined with most of the element. For
that reason hydrogen and chlorine atom is taken as the unit to determine the
valency of an element.
For example one hydrogen atom is combined with one chlorine atom in
hydrochloric acid (HCl) compound. So the valency of chlorine is one in HCl.

4. Write down the symbols of the following elements.

Chlorine, Bismuth, Lead, Barium, Beryllium, Tin, Mercury, Silver, Iodine,
Boron and Copper.

Ans.: The symbols are given below :

Name Symbol Name Symbol
Chlorine Cl Mercury Hg
Lead Pb Silver Ag
Barium Ba Iodine I
Beryllium Be Boron B
Tin Sn Copper Cu
Bismuth Bi Gold Au

5. Write down the following things for the formulae : (i) H2O (ii) 3H2SO4 (iii)
2Mg(HCO3)2 (iv) 5NH4OH.
(a) Name (b) Number of molecules (c) Number of hydrogen atoms (d)
Number of oxygen atoms.
 General Science: Physics and Chemistry 24

Ans.:
Formulae Name No. of No. of No. of
molecules hydrogen oxygen
atoms atoms
H2O Water 1 2 1
3H2SO4 Sulphuric acid 3 6 12
2Mg(HCO3)2 Magnesium bi 2 4 12
carbonate
5NH4OH Ammonium 5 25 5
hydroxide

6. What are the differences between valency and formula?

Ans.: The differences between valency and formula are as follows :

Valency Formula
(1) The combing capacity of an (1) Formula is the abbreviated form of
element with others is called valency. elements or compounds.
(2) The ratio of atoms or radicals in a (2) Formula indicates the atoms of
compound is reciprocal proportion of different elements or one element and
their valency. their numbers which remain in the
compound.
(3) Valency indicates the affinity of (3) Molecular weight and percentage
chemical combination of an element. composition of elements can be
understood by the formulae.
(4) Valency indicates the electric (4) Electric charge of element or
charge of element or radical. radical can not be known from
formulae.

7. How formula can be written by using the valency?

Ans.: When one element is combined with another element for making a
compound, then valencies are exchanged in there between the two atoms.
Valecies are written as subscript in the right side of the symbols of the elements.

For example-
Formula of water is H1O2 = H2O
Formula of sodium sulphate = Na2SO4.
 Symbol, Formula and Valency 25

8. Which thing is comparable with the valency of element?

Ans.: The element of an element can be compared with hand. For example the
element with one hand means its valency is one. Therefore, one atom of one
handed element will combine with another atom of one handed element. Both
hydrogen and chlorine are one handed elements. So both have valency one.
Again the valency of oxygen is two which means that one atom of oxygen has
two hands. By these two hands oxygen can catch two hydrogen atoms which is
shown below :

H- O – H

9. What is molecular formula and empirical formula?

Ans.: Molecular formula : Molecular formula is the abbreviated form of the

molecules of elements or compounds which is represented by symbols. For
example molecular formula of water is H2O.

Empirical formula : Empirical formula is the simplest ratio of the number of

elements remaining in a compound. For example empirical formula of benzene is
CH.
10. What do you understand by double decomposition reaction? Give three
examples of double decomposition reaction.

Ans.: Double decomposition reaction : When two compounds exchange their

acidic and basic portions, then the reaction is called double decomposition
reaction.
Example :
1. Hydrogen chloride + potassium iodide = hydrogen iodide + potassium
chloride.
2. Silver nitrate + sodium chloride = silver chloride + sodium nitrate.
3. Calcium nitrate + potassium chloride = calcium chloride + potassium
nitrate.
 General Science: Physics and Chemistry 26

11. Valency of oxygen is 2, valency of carbon is 4 and valency of sodium is 1

– explain.

Ans.: Generally hydrogen and chlorine atom is taken as the unit of valency. We
know, valency of any element is the number of hydrogen atoms which are
combined with the one atom of that element.
Valency of oxygen is 4, because methane (CH4) is produced by the reaction of
hydrogen with carbon. It is observed from the structural formula of methane that
four hydrogen atoms are attached with one atom of carbon. For that reason, the
valency of carbon is 4.
The structural formula of methane is shown below :
H

H–C–H

H
Valency of sodium is one because sodium chloride (NaCl) is formed due to
reaction of sodium with chlorine. From the combination of sodium chloride, it is
observed that one sodium atom is attached with one chlorine atom. For that
reason valency of sodium is 1.

The structural formula of sodium chloride is : Na – Cl

12. Why hydrogen is used as the unit for measuring the valency of any
element?

Ans.: It is observed from experiment that maximum elements have the greatest
tendency or attraction to combine with hydrogen atoms. Moreover the valency of
hydrogen is the lowest. For that reason hydrogen is used as the unit for
measuring valency of any elements.

13. What is the significance of H2O?

Ans.: The significance of H2O is as follows :

Qualitative significance :
(a) It indicates definite substance water.
(b) It indicates molecule of water.
(c) It also means that the molecule of water is composed of hydrogen and
oxygen.
 Symbol, Formula and Valency 27

Quantitative significance :
(a) It indicates a molecule of water.
(b) It is also indicated that one molecule of water is composed of two atoms of
hydrogen and one atom of oxygen.
(c) It indicates the molecular weight of water = 1.008 + 16 x 1= 18.016.
(d) We can understand that 18.016 gm water is composed of 2.016 gm hydrogen
and 16 gm oxygen. Or, in water-
H = 2.016 x 100/18.016 = 11.19%
O = 16 x 100/18.016 = 88.81%.

14. How the valency of any element is measured?

Ans.: Atoms of different elements possess different capacities for combining

with hydrogen atom. This combining capacity of hydrogen with other element is
the lowest. It is observed by analyzing a lot of compounds that one atom of
hydrogen can not combine with more than one atom of others elements. But one
atom of others element can combine with more than one atom of hydrogen. For
that reason the valency of an element is measured by the number of hydrogen
atoms which combine with one atom of that element.

In the case where any element does not combine with hydrogen, number of
atoms of equivalent elements (example chlorine) of hydrogen is taken as unit.

15. Write down the structural formulae of the following compounds. (i) CO2
(ii) CO (iii) NH3 (iv) CH4 (v) H2O (Vi) NaCl

Ans.:
(i) O = C = O (ii) H –N – H
H H

(iii) H –C – H (iv) H – O – H (v) Na – Cl

H

16. What is the significance of symbol?

Ans.:
Significance of symbol:
 General Science: Physics and Chemistry 28

1. The symbol of an element represents the name of the element in short e.g.
hydrogen by H, oxygen by O, sodium by Na.
2. The symbol of an element indicates one atom of that element such as H
stands for one atom of hydrogen. Likewise O stands for one atom oxygen, C
for one atom of carbon, Na for one atom of sodium etc.
3. The symbol represents one atom of an element and it also stands for the
atomic weight of that element. For example, H means one part by weight of
hydrogen and O means 16 parts by weight of oxygen.

17. What is the significance of formula?

Ans.: Formula has two types of significances. These are (a) qualitative
significance and (b) quantitative significance.
Qualitative and quantitative significances are discussed below :

(a)Qualitative significance : (i) a formula represents a particular substance. For

example – H2O indicates water.
(ii) Formula of a substance represents the atoms of different constituent elements
of the substance.

Quantitative significance : (i)formula represents one molecule of a particular

substance. For example one molecule of sodium chloride is represented by NaCl.
(ii) Formula represents the number of atoms of each of the constituent elements
present in a molecule of the compound.
(iii) a formula represents molecular weight of a particular substance and the
molecular formula shows the relative weights of the elements present in the
molecular weight of the compound; for example, CO2 means the molecular
weight of CO2 is 44 and it also represents relative weight of carbon and oxygen
in the mol. Wt of the compound; i.e. in 44 parts by wt. of carbon dioxide there
are 12 parts of carbon and 32 parts by wt. of oxygen.
 Symbol, Formula and Valency 29

Answer to the Objective Questions

Multiple Choice Question :

1. Tick (√) correct answer :
(1) What is called the ‘shortened’ form of the molecule of an element or
compound?
(a) Symbol √ (b) Formula
(c) Valency (d) Combining capacity
(2) Which is indicated by the symbol of an element?
√ (a) One atom of an element
(b) One letter of the name of an element
(c) First letter of the name of an element
(d) Latin name of an element
(3) Which symbol is taken from Latin name?
(a) Sulphur S (b) Phosphorus P
√ (c) Copper Cu (d) Chlorine Cl
(4) Which formula is incorrect?
(a) CuSO4 (b) H2O
√ (c) H2Cl (d) ZnCO3
(5) A metal M has valency 4? What is the correct formula of M (IV)
sulphate of that metal?
(a) M4SO4 (b) M(SO4) 4
(c) M2SO4 √ (d) M(SO4) 2
(6) What is the correct formula of iron (III) carbonate?
(a) Fe4 (SO4) 2 (b) FeCO3
(c) Fe2(CO3) √ (d) Fe2(CO3) 3
(7) Which one is compound radical?
(a) Fe (b) Cu
(c) Br √ (d) HCO3

(8) The number of atoms present in a compound is expressed –

(a) By the symbol of an element
√ (b) By the formula of the compound
(c) By the valency of an element
(d) From radical.
 General Science: Physics and Chemistry 30

2. Fill in the blanks :

(a) The symbol of chlorine is …..and formula is …..
(b)……..of any element or compound expressed in short is ……
(c) In sulphuric acid (H2SO4) the valency of sulphate (SO4) is…
(d) A group of atoms of different elements which acts like a single atom is
called…….
(e) To determine the valency of an element the valency of …..is taken as unit
(f) The valency of nitrogen in ammonia is……….

Ans.: (a) Cl, Cl2; (b) Molecule, formula; (c) 2; (d) radical; (e) hydrogen; (f) 3.

3. Match the left side sentences with those of right side :

Left Right
(a) Symbol of sodium (a) Fe2(SO4) 3
(b) Formula of copper sulphate (b) Metal
(c) The valency of oxygen (c) Radical
(d) Carbonate; CO3 (d) Na
(e) Sodium, Potassium, Calcium (e) CuSO4
(f) The valency of sodium is (f) 2
(g) 1

Ans.:
(a) Symbol of sodium Na
(b) Formula of copper sulphate CuSO4.
(c) The valency of oxygen 2.
(d) Carbonate; CO3 radical.
(e) Sodium, Potassium, Calcium metal.
(f) The valency of sodium is 1.