New
New
Year 8

Naming compounds

I can name compounds from their chemical formulae.

Link copied to clipboard

New
New
Year 8

Naming compounds

I can name compounds from their chemical formulae.

Link copied to clipboard

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The name of a simple metal–non-metal compound ends '-ide' to indicate bonding has occurred.
  2. Some common groups of compounds are metal carbonates, metal sulfates and metal nitrates.
  3. Compounds of metal atoms bonded to -CO₃ are called metal carbonates.
  4. Compounds of metal atoms bonded to -SO₄ are called metal sulfates.
  5. Compounds of metal atoms bonded to -NO₃ are called metal nitrates.

Keywords

  • Metal sulfate - Compound is made of a metal bonded to a sulfate group. The sulphate group is -SO₄.

  • Metal carbonate - Compound is made of a metal bonded to a carbonate group. The carbonate group is -CO₃.

  • Metal nitrate - Compound is made of a metal bonded to a nitrate group. The nitrate group is -NO₃.

Common misconception

Students often forget to change the non-metal name to either -ide or -ate.

Emphasise when the non-metal reacts with a metal it changes its name to -ide. It is -ate if the non-metal is also bonded to oxygen.


To help you plan your year 8 science lesson on: Naming compounds, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Use many examples and each time stress that the non-metal changes its name and why.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
Complete this sentence: An element is made up of ...
one atom.
different types of atoms.
Correct answer: one type of atom.
Q2.
There are three types of elements; metals, non-metals and ...
Correct Answer: metalloids, metalloids.
Q3.
On the periodic table, most elements are in which state at room temperature?
Correct answer: solid
liquid
gas
Q4.
Match the word with the definition.
Correct Answer:Mixture,Different elements and / or compounds not chemically bonded together.

Different elements and / or compounds not chemically bonded together.

Correct Answer:Chemical bonding,How atoms combine together in a chemical reaction.

How atoms combine together in a chemical reaction.

Correct Answer:Compound,Made from two or more different elements chemically bonded together.

Made from two or more different elements chemically bonded together.

Correct Answer:Molecule,Made up from two or more non-metal atoms chemically bonded together.

Made up from two or more non-metal atoms chemically bonded together.

Q5.
Which of the following are examples of compounds?
Correct answer: CO₂
O₂
Correct answer: NaCl
Correct answer: CuSO₄
Mg
Q6.
Correctly order the description of the particle diagram from a to d.
An image in a quiz
1 - a = Compound
2 - b = Mixture of elements
3 - c = Element
4 - d = Mixture of compounds
Q6 UYSEG

6 Questions

Q1.
What is the ending used when naming a compound formed from two different elements bonded together?
-ice
Correct answer: -ide
-ate
-ite
Q2.
Compounds with names ending in '-ate' are made up of a metal, a non-metal and bonded together.
Correct Answer: oxygen
Q3.
How many atoms of each element are present in potassium nitrate (KNO₃)?
1 × potassium, 1 × nitrogen, 1 × oxygen
1 × potassium, 3 × nitrogen, 3 × oxygen
Correct answer: 1 × potassium, 1 × nitrogen, 3 × oxygen
3 × potassium, 3 × nitrogen, 3 × oxygen
Q4.
What elements would make up the compound copper sulfate?
copper and sulfur
copper, sulfide and oxygen
copper, sulfur and oxide
copper and sulfate
Correct answer: copper, sulfur and oxygen
Q5.
Order the following compound endings as those which would represent the following; an oxide, a carbonate, a nitrate, a chloride, a sulfide and sulfate.
1 - -O
2 - -CO₃
3 - -NO₃
4 - -Cl
5 - -S
6 - -SO₄
Q6.
Use the periodic table to help you match the compound to the correct name.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:KBr,potassium bromide

potassium bromide

Correct Answer:CuO,copper oxide

copper oxide

Correct Answer:NaNO₃,sodium nitrate

sodium nitrate

Correct Answer:CaS,calcium sulfide

calcium sulfide

Correct Answer:ZnSO₄ ,zinc sulfate

zinc sulfate

Correct Answer:MgCO₃,magnesium carbonate

magnesium carbonate

Q6 UYSEG