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Solving Problems: A Chemistry Handbook
Chemistry: Matter and Change
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SOLVING PROBLEMS:
A CHEMISTRY HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 8
An oxyanion is a polyatomic ion that contains oxygen. An
oxyacid is an acid that contains hydrogen and an oxyanion. To name
such an acid, first write a form of the root of the name of the oxyanion. If the oxyanion name ends in -ate, name the acid by adding the
suffix -ic to the root. If the oxyanion name ends in -ite, name the
acid by adding the suffix -ous to the root. Then add the word acid.
Example Problem 8-4
Naming Acids
Name the following acids.
a. H 2 Se
b. HBrO 3
a. H 2 Se is a binary acid, so the prefix hydro- is used, followed by
the root of the name of the second element (selenium, root
selen-), followed by the suffix -ic and the word acid. Thus, the
name is hydroselenic acid.
b. The oxyanion BrO 3
Ϫ is the bromate ion. Its root is brom-.
Because the oxyanion name ends in -ate, add the suffix -ic.
Then add the word acid. Thus, the name is bromic acid.
Practice Problems
7. Name the following acids.
a. H 2 CO 3
b. HI
c. HClO 4
d. H 2 SO 3
Writing formulas from names Given the name of a molecular
compound, you can write its formula by analyzing the name in
terms of the rules given above. Use the prefixes that indicate number
(mono-, di-, and so on) to write the proper subscripts.
Practice Problems
8. Write the formulas for the following molecular compounds.
a. disulfur dichloride
c. hydrosulfuric acid
b. dinitrogen tetroxide
d. sulfuric acid
8.3 Molecular Structures
A structural formula is a molecular model that uses letter symbols
and bonds to show relative positions of atoms. It can generally be
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