Which formulas do we need to remember?

[Michelle Li 2B]

Hi! In the textbook problems for the Fundamentals section, there were a couple questions that asked us to find the molecular/empirical formula and then state the name of the compound. I don't have the names of many compounds down by memory, and I was wondering if this was something we'd need to study for the midterm. If so, what are some helpful tips for remembering the names of certain compounds? And also, how do you determine the order of elements in a formula?

[Lindsay Beckwith 2B]

Some general rules for naming compounds:
For ionic bonds, the compound is named "cation anion" and the ending of the anion name is dropped and replaced with the suffix "ide."
For covalent:
For two-element compounds, name of the first element appears normally and the second element has the -ide suffix
Each element in the compound has a prefix designating the number of atoms of this element in the compound (ex: mono-, di-, tri-), but "mono" is not added to the first element (if there's one then no suffix is added)
The less electronegative element is typically written first

If you are unsure on the order of elements, my TA said its a pretty safe bet to always start off with a carbon atom, then go to hydrogen, then on. When representing compounds its not super important in the order unless the problem specifically asks about the formula.

[Amine Adlouni 1L]

Hello!

While I don't believe we need to memorize compound names for this midterm, I do believe we will eventually have to know them for future tests. As we go through the class and do more practice, it will become easy to remember compound names. However, if you do want to make sure you are proficient, I would highly recommend using Quizlet. There are numerous public sets full of common compound names, and going through the flashcards makes memorizing a breeze.

[isabella garcia - 1G]

As far as I know, we won't be expected to have memorized compound names on this midterm. However, I think we may have to remember/be able to name some common compounds later on, so it may be useful to learn about covalent and ionic bond conventions, as well as pre fixes that denote the number of atoms in an element.