Translating Word Equations and Naming Compounds

Translating Word Equations

1. First thing is to understand the wording of the word equations.

• The word "and" or "reacts with" means + 
• The phrase "react to," or "produce" means ------>

For example:


Magnesium bromide and chlorine produce magnesium chloride and bromine.


    
    2.  You then look at the Periodic Table for the elements in the equation and criss-cross the numbers in front of the charges on the ions.


MgBr₂  +  Cl₂  ---->   MgCl₂  +  Br₂

Examples:

• Iron and sulfur produces iron(III) sulfide
• Fe + S --> Fe₂S₃
• Water produce hydrogen and oxygen
• H₂O -->  H₂ + O₂
• Potassium and water react to produce potassium hydroxide and hydrogen
• K + H₂O -->  KOH + O₂
• Aluminum and hydrochloric acid produce aluminum chloride and hydrogen
• Al + HCl -->  AlCl₃ + H₂
•  Ethane and oxygen react to produce carbon dioxide and water
• C₂H₆ + O₂  -->  CO₂   +  H₂O

Naming Compounds

• Non-metals end with "ide"

• - ic if the anion name ends in - ate.
• - ous if the anion name ends in - ite.

Acid	Ion	Name
H2SO4	SO4 2-	sulfuric acid (anion, sulfate)
HClO3	ClO3 -	perchlorous acid (anion, perchlorite)

• Roman numerals are needed when naming elements with more than one ion.

Element	Cation	Preferred Name
copper	Cu+	copper (I)
	Cu2+	copper (II)
iron	Fe2+	iron (II)
	Fe3+	iron (III)
lead	Pb2+	lead (II)
	Pb4+	lead (IV)
mercury	Hg22+	mercury (I)
	Hg2+	mercury (II)
tin	Sn2+	tin (II)
	Sn4+	tin (IV)

Roman Numeral Prefixes:

Greek Prefixes	Number
mono-	1
di-	2
tri-	3
tetra-	4
penta-	5
hexa-	6
hepta-	7
octa-	8
nona-	9
deca-	10

Examples:

• Zn + HCl --> ZnCl₂ + H₂
• Zinc + hydrochloric acid --> zinc chloride + hydrogen
• Al + Pb(NO₃)₂ --> Al(NO₃) + Pb
• Aluminum + lead(II) nitrate -->  aluminum nitrate + lead
• KClO₃ --> KCl + O₂
• Potassium chlorate -->  Potassium chloride + oxygen gas
• KOH + H₃PO₄ --> K₃PO₄ + H₂O
• Potassium hydride + phosphoric acid --> potassium phosphate + water
• Al + CuCl₂ --> AlCl₃ + Cu
• Aluminum + copper(II) chloride --> aluminum chloride + copper