General Introduction›Understanding Chemical Equations›Naming Compounds
Lesson 02 of 02
Naming Compounds
Key Concepts
- Chemical nomenclature
- Ionic compounds
- Covalent compounds
- Cations and anions
- Metals and non-metals
- -ide suffix
- Transition metals
- Roman numerals
- Polyatomic ions: carbonate, sulfate, nitrate, hydroxide
- Greek prefixes: mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-
- Exceptions: water, ammonia
- Organic chemistry
- Hydrocarbons
- Alkanes
- Homologous series
- Carbon bonding: four covalent bonds
- IUPAC naming system
- Carbon chain prefixes: meth, eth, prop, but, pent...
- Structural formula
- Molecular formula
- General formula: CₙH₂ₙ₊₂
- Methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane
Video 1
Lesson notes
Chemical names follow rules — and once you know those rules, you can name or identify any inorganic compound from its formula. This video walks you through the IUPAC naming system for binary compounds, acids, and compounds containing polyatomic ions, with enough worked examples to make the pattern stick. Ideal if you keep second-guessing whether something ends in -ide, -ate, or -ite.
What You Will Learn
01:34What chemical nomenclature is and why systematic naming matters in chemistry.
03:16How to name simple ionic compounds from a metal and a non-metal using the -ide suffix.
06:52How to name transition metal compounds using Roman numerals to indicate ion charge.
08:33How to identify and name compounds containing polyatomic ions such as carbonate, sulfate, nitrate, and hydroxide.
10:57How to name simple covalent molecules using Greek prefixes for atom count.
12:01Why water and ammonia are exceptions that do not follow standard naming rules.
12:47How to apply all naming rules together to work out the name of an unfamiliar compound.
Video 2
Lesson notes
This is where organic chemistry begins. You'll find out what makes a compound organic, meet the alkane homologous series, and learn how IUPAC prefixes let you name or identify any straight-chain hydrocarbon from methane to decane. The general formula CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ gives you a shortcut for any molecular formula, and by the end you'll be able to name, draw, and calculate for the first ten alkanes — exactly what the exam expects.
What You Will Learn
00:32What organic chemistry is and why carbon forms the basis of a vast separate naming system.
02:15What hydrocarbons are and why they form a family of compounds studied in GCSE chemistry.
02:35What alkanes are and how they form a homologous series.
04:04Why carbon forms exactly four covalent bonds and how this determines the structure of alkanes.
06:31How the IUPAC naming system uses chain-length prefixes to name the first five alkanes.
07:32How to write the structural formula for each of the first five alkanes.
07:42How to write the molecular formula for each of the first five alkanes.
08:08What the general formula CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ means and how to use it to predict the formula of any alkane.