Chemical Reactions and Equations
A series of free Science Lessons for 7th Grade and 8th Grade, KS3 and Checkpoint Science in preparation for GCSE and IGCSE Science.
Chemical Reactions and Equations
Chemists use equations to describe what happens in a chemical reaction. The equations provide the essential information an an easy-to-read form. The simplest equations are word equations.
The substances that take part in a reaction are called reactants. The substances that form as a result of the chemical reactions are called the products.
reactants → products
magnesium + oxygen → magnesium oxide
Chemical names of compounds
There are rules for how chemical names are built up.
The first part of the name is usually the name of an element in the compound. The second part of the name has part of the name of the second element in the compound.
If the element is not connected to other elements the suffix -ide may be added as in sodium chloride.
Naming Compounds
Some more complex endings to compound names.
SO4 - sulfate
CO3 - carbonate
NO3 - nitrate
OH - hydroxide
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