Covalent compound
A covalent compound involves the sharing of electrons between two non-metals.
Rules
What are the rules for naming covalent compounds?
- Covalent compounds use prefixes – to indicate the number of atoms of each element in the compound
- The element that is on the left of the periodic table comes first
- The element that is lower on the periodic table comes first
- If halogen is present, halogen is named first
- If hydrogen is present, hydrogen is named first
Prefixes for covalent compounds
- mono –
- di –
- tri –
- tetra –
- penta –
- hexa –
- hepta –
- octa –
Names of compounds
| Symbol | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CO | carbon monoxide | "mono" is not used in the first element. |
| CO₂ | carbon dioxide | Prefix "di" means the number of that element in the molecule. |
| N₂O₅ | dinitrogen pentoxide | The “a” in “penta” is dropped in the oxide. |
| BrF₅ | bromine pentafluoride | Bromine (lower in the periodic table) is named first. |
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