Theory
A word equation describes a chemical reaction using words.
1. In the naming of compounds between metals and non-metals
- metallic elements are named first
- non-metallic elments are named second and the suffix is changed to to an "ide"
| Non metal | Suffix change | Non metal | Suffix change | |
| Hydrogen | Hydride | Fluorine | Fluoride | |
| Oxygen | Oxide | Chlorine | Chloride | |
| Sulfur or sulphur | Sulfide or sulphide | Bromine | Bromide | |
| Nitrogen | Nitride | Iodine | Iodide | |
| Phosphorus | Phosphide | Astatine | Astatide |
Examples: Sodium chloride, magnesium oxide, sodium fluoride and potassium iodide.
2. In all chemical reactions mass is conserved. Atoms of elements are rearranged.
- Iron + oxygen → iron chloride
Oxygen atoms do not change into chlorine atoms! - Iron + oxygen → iron oxide
The same type of atoms are on opposite sides on the equation
Complete the following word equations