Chemistry Bonds

how to identify ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds from element names, plus how to write and name chemical formulas based on compound wording. I’ve packed in plenty of examples so you can practice and master this with confidence.

🧠 Flashcard Set: Bond Types & Chemical Formulas

🧪 1. How to Identify Bond Types from Element Names

🔷 Ionic Bonds

• Definition: Bond between a metal and a nonmetal.

• Clues:

  • Metal listed first (e.g., sodium, calcium, iron).

  • Nonmetal often ends in “-ide” (e.g., chloride, oxide).

• Examples:

  • Sodium chloride → NaCl

  • Calcium fluoride → CaF₂

  • Iron(III) oxide → Fe₂O₃

⚛ Covalent Bonds

• Definition: Bond between two nonmetals.

• Clues:

  • Uses prefixes like mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, etc.

  • Second element ends in “-ide”.

• Examples:

  • Carbon dioxide → CO₂

  • Dinitrogen pentoxide → N₂O₅

  • Sulfur hexafluoride → SF₆

🔩 Metallic Bonds

• Definition: Bond between two metals (less common in naming).

• Clues:

  • Usually refers to pure metals or metal alloys.

  • Not typically named as compounds.

• Examples:

  • Brass (copper + zinc)

  • Steel (iron + carbon)

🧮 2. How to Write Chemical Formulas from Names

🔷 Ionic Compounds

• Steps:

  1. Identify the cation (positive ion, usually metal).

  2. Identify the anion (negative ion, usually nonmetal).

  3. Balance charges to make the compound neutral.

• Common Ions:

  • Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Al³⁺

  • Cl⁻, O²⁻, S²⁻

• Examples:

  • Magnesium chloride → Mg²⁺ + Cl⁻ → MgCl₂

  • Aluminum oxide → Al³⁺ + O²⁻ → Al₂O₃

  • Potassium sulfide → K⁺ + S²⁻ → K₂S

⚛ Covalent Compounds

• Steps:

  1. Use prefixes to determine number of atoms.

  2. Write element symbols in order.

• Prefixes: | Prefix | Number | |--------|--------| | mono- | 1 | | di- | 2 | | tri- | 3 | | tetra- | 4 | | penta- | 5 | | hexa- | 6 |

• Examples:

  • Nitrogen trichloride → NCl₃

  • Phosphorus pentachloride → PCl₅

  • Carbon monoxide → CO

🧾 3. How to Name Compounds from Formulas

🔷 Ionic Compounds

• Steps:

  1. Name the metal (cation) first.

  2. Name the nonmetal (anion) with “-ide” ending.

  3. If the metal has multiple charges, use Roman numerals.

• Examples:

  • NaCl → Sodium chloride

  • FeCl₃ → Iron(III) chloride

  • Cu₂O → Copper(I) oxide

⚛ Covalent Compounds

• Steps:

  1. Use prefixes for both elements.

  2. Second element ends in “-ide”.

• Examples:

  • CO₂ → Carbon dioxide

  • N₂O → Dinitrogen monoxide

  • P₄O₁₀ → Tetraphosphorus decoxide

🧪 Practice Challenge: Name or Write the Formula

Try these and check your answers: