Nonmetal-nonmetal compounds

What are they?  |  How are they named? If we know the formula  | If we know the name  |  Examples  |  Exercises
   

What are they?

They are compounds formed by two nonmetals, different from the oxygen and hydrogen.

How are they named?

For its nomenclature we use the

Stoichiometric nomenclature: it is formed by two words. The first word is the name of the first nonmetal with a Greek prefix that shows us the number of atoms of the nonmetal ; the second word is the root of the second nonmetal plus the suffix "-ide", with a Greek prefix that shows us the number of atoms of the nonmetal.

The Greek prefixes are:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
mono- di- tri- tetra- penta- hexa- hepta- octa- nona- deca- undeca- dodeca-

    Prefix-NONMETAL prefix-NONMETAL-ide

The prefix mono- is used only before the second nonmetal, and when the ratio is 1:1.

The IUPAC also accepts Stock´s nomenclature for these compounds, though it is better to use the stoichiometric nomenclature when all the atoms are nonmetal and Stock´s nomenclature when there are metallic atoms.

The relative positions of the elements in these compounds are those in this list:

B, Si, C, Sb, As, P, N, Te, Se, S, I, Br, Cl, O, F.

But don’t worry, in general formulae are given correctly.

If we know the formula

In the formula: Name of the first nonmetal with a Greek prefix that shows us the number of atoms, followed by the second nonmetal plus the suffix "-ide", with a Greek prefix that shows us the number of atoms of the nonmetal.

 

If we know the name

In the name: The first word indicates the first element in the formula, the prefix indicates the subscript of the element in the formula, The second word indicates the second element in the formula, and the prefix indicates the subscript of the element in the formula.

 

Examples

  

 

Stoichiometric nomenclature

PCl3 Phosphorus trichloride
BrF5 Bromine pentafluoride
As2Se3 Diarsenic triselenide
Si3N4 Trisilicon tetranitride

 

Exercises

In Formulae you have an exercise to write the names of these substances and to check your results. You also have the answer to the exercise.

In Names you have an exercise to write the formulae for these substances and to check your results. You have to introduce the formulae without subscripts, for example for water = H2O. You also have the answer to the exercise.

Formulae 1 Names 1 Formulae 2 Names 2

 


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