Lecture Notes: WRITING FORMULAS

Terms to remember in writing formulas

Valence - the combining power of an element, especially as measured by the number of hydrogen atoms it can
displace or combine with.
Valence number – A valence number is the number of electrons in the outer-most energy levels of an atom; it is
the number of transferred (lose or gain) electrons from one atom to another.
Oxidation number (or oxidation state) – a number assigned to an element in chemical combination which
represents the number of electrons lost (or gained, if the number is negative), by an atom of that element in the
compound. It is the charged valence number.

Example: Na+1Cl-1, the oxidation number of sodium is +1 and chlorine is -1; the valence no. of sodium is 1 and
chlorine is also 1. Another Example is Ba +2 O – 2, the oxidation number of Ba is +2 and O is -2 and the valence
no of Ba is 2 and O is 2 also (in short, oxidation number is just the CHARGED valence number of the elements).

Chemical symbol – a chemical abbreviation denoting the name of one atom of an element; is a shorthand way to
represent an element and that each element in the periodic table has a unique chemical symbol consisting of one
or two letters, most often derived from the name of the element.

Chemical formula – is a notation used to show the number and type of atoms present in a molecule, using the
atomic symbols and numerical subscripts; chemical expression denoting the name of one molecule of either an
element or a compound.
Chemical formulas are very important when trying to find information about a chemical compound because they
provide what elements are present and also the proportion of the atoms of elements found in a chemical substance
or compound.
Rules in Writing Formulas:
1) Metals, non-metals, and noble gases – their symbols also stand for their formulas.

Ex: Element Symbol Formula

Silver Ag Ag
Copper Cu Cu
Sulfur S S
Neon Ne Ne
Krypton Kr Kr

2) Active gaseous elements – are written correctly by taking two atoms of the elements since they will form
diatomic molecules.
Ex: Element Symbol Formula
Hydrogen H H2
Oxygen O O2
Nitrogen N N2
Chlorine Cl Cl2
3) Compounds. To make molecular formulas correctly, write the symbol of the (+) element or radical first
followed by the (-) element or radical. Then make the total (+) valence added algebraically to the total (-)
valence equal to zero so that the compound is electrically neutral.

a) When the positive valence and the negative valence are of the same number, the formula is correct as
it stands.

Examples: Sodium chloride - Na+1 Cl - 1 NaCl

Barium oxide - Ba+2 O - 2 BaO

Aluminum Phosphate - Al+3 PO4 – 3 AlPO4

b) When (+) and (-) valences are not of the same number, apply the crisscross rule so that the algebraic
sum of the (+) and the (-) valence equal to zero.
 Example: 1) Iron (III) oxide -
Explanation: Iron has +3 oxidation state and oxygen has -2 oxidation state, since the positive and the
negative valences are not of the same number, crisscross rule is applied.

Fe+3 O -2
Answer: Fe2 O3

2) Tin (II) chloride –

Explanation: Tin has +2 oxidation state and chloride has -1 oxidation state, since the positive and the
negative valences are not of the same number, crisscross rule is applied. Since the valence
number of chlorine is 1, there is no need to write a subscript after Sn.

Sn+2 Cl -1
Answer: SnCl2
c) Whenever a radical in a formula is taken more than twice, parenthesis should be placed around the
radical and the correct subscript placed outside the parenthesis.

Ex: 1) Aluminum sulfate

Explanation: Aluminum (Al+3) has an oxidation state of +3, and sulfate (SO4 -2) which is a polyatomic
ion (or a radical) has an oxidation state of -2. Because of different valences, crisscross
rule will be applied, and the sulfate will be enclosed in a parenthesis, since it will be taken
three times.

Al+3 SO4 -2
Answer: Al2(SO4)3

Ex. 2) Barium hydroxide

Explanation: Barium (Ba+2) has an oxidation state of +2, and hydroxide (OH -1) which is a polyatomic
ion (or a radical) has an oxidation state of -1. Because of different valences, crisscross
rule will be applied, and the hydroxide will be enclosed in a parenthesis, since it will be
taken twice. There is no need to place a subscript after Barium since the valence number
of hydroxide is -1.

Ba+2 OH -1
Answer: Ba (OH)2

If a polyatomic ion or radical is not taken more than once, there is no need to enclose the ion in parenthesis.
Ex. 3) Sodium sulfate

Na +1 SO4 -2

Explanation: Sodium (Na+1) has an oxidation state of +1, and sulfate (SO4 -2) which is a polyatomic ion (or a
radical) has an oxidation state of -2. Because of different valences, crisscross rule will be applied. Since sodium is
+1 and sulfate is – 2, the valence of sulfate becomes the subscript of sodium and since the valence of sodium is 1,
there is no need to place a subscript after sulfate and no need also to enclose sulfate in parenthesis.

Answer: Na2SO4
Table of Valences of Common Elements and Polyatomic Ions (Radicals) and Their Chemical
Formulas
Those Having Positive Valences
+1 +2 +3 +4
Ammonium NH4 Barium Ba Aluminum Al Carbon C
Cuprous Cu Cadmium Cd Antimony Sb Lead Pb
Aurous or Gold Au Calcium Ca Arsenic As Nitrogen N
Hydrogen H Carbon C Bismuth Bi Platinum Pt
Lithium Li Chromium (II) Cr Boron B Sulfur S
Mercury (I) Hg Cobalt (II) Co Chromium Cr Silicon Si
Potassium K Copper Cu Cobalt Co Tin Sn
Silver Ag Ferrous Fe Gold Au
Sodium Na Plumbous Pb Ferric Fe
Magnesium Mg Nickel Ni
Manganese Mn Phosphorus P
Mercury (II) Hg Nitrogen N
Molybdenum Mo
Nickel (II) Ni
Platinum Pt
Radium Ra
Stannous Sn
Strontium Sr
Zinc Zn

Those Having Negative Valences

-1 -2 -3 -4
Bromide Br Oxide O Phosphate PO4 Silicate SiO4
Chloride Cl Sulfide S Nitride N
Fluoride F Carbonate CO3 Phosphide P
Iodide I Chromate CrO4 Arsenate AsO4
Acetate C2H3O2 Dichromate Cr2O7
Bicarbonate HCO3 Oxalate C2O4
Chlorate ClO3 Sulfate SO4
Bisulfate HSO4 Sulfite SO3
Hydroxide OH Peroxide O2
Iodate IO3 Manganate MnO4
Chlorite ClO2 Thiosulfate S2O3
Iodite IO2
Nitrite NO2
Nitrate NO3
Permanganate MnO4
Thiocyanate SCN
Bromate BrO3