5 Tips for Learning and Understanding Chemical Formulas

If you’ve ever had to study chemistry, you know how difficult of a subject it can be. In fact, many students find chemistry to be outright jarring. Of the subject’s many topics, perhaps one of the most challenging ones for students is understanding and working with chemical formulas, reactions, and equations.

According to research published in the Chemistry Teacher International journal, many undergrad students face conceptual difficulties in understanding various chemistry topics. Understanding chemical formulas is included in this list of difficulties.

Of course, just because this topic can be difficult to get a grasp of doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to understand. In fact, if you, as a student, can follow a few strategies, learning and understanding chemical formulas will become a piece of cake. What are these strategies to understand chemical formulas, you ask? Let’s find out.

#1 Grasp the Basics of Atomic Structure

Before you delve into the vast world of chemical formulas, you must first understand how atomic structures work. Only when you do this can you interpret chemical formulas and what they mean structure-wise.

Start by sitting yourself down and learning about the different subatomic particles – protons, neutrons, and electrons. You need to learn what they exactly are and what their roles are in contributing to an atom’s identity and properties.

#2 Understand the Notation

Chemical formulas use a specific notation to represent elements and compounds. The symbols for elements are typically one or two letters derived from the element’s name. They often use the first letter capitalized and the second letter lowercase (as needed).

When elements come together to form compounds, their symbols are combined to create a formula. Subscripts and parentheses are used to indicate the number of atoms of each element in the compound.

For your understanding, let’s use H₂S as an example in this case. This chemical notation represents the hydrosulfuric acid formula to us. The formula shows that hydrosulfuric acid is made of two hydrogen atoms and a sulfur atom. Had you little to no understanding of the notation, deciphering these details would’ve become very difficult for you.

Notation is also important for understanding the formulas in depth. According to Proprep, the notations also disclose the oxidation numbers involved in this formula. Because of that, it’s possible to determine the composition of hydrosulfuric acid.

#3 Learn the Common Polyatomic Ions

Polyatomic ions are groups of atoms that have a net electrical charge and act as a single unit in chemical reactions. Familiarizing yourself with common polyatomic ions is essential for understanding chemical formulas, as they frequently appear in various compounds and reactions.

Examples of common polyatomic ions include sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium. Knowing these ions and their charges will help you write and interpret chemical formulas accurately.

#4 Explore Chemical Nomenclature

Chemical nomenclature is the system of naming compounds. As explained on Owlcation, it goes hand in hand with understanding chemical formulas. Learn the naming conventions for various types of compounds, including ionic compounds, covalent compounds, and acids. This knowledge will help you decipher chemical formulas based on their names and vice versa.

For instance, when you break down ionic compounds, you’re usually left with a metal part and a nonmetal part. The compound’s name reflects this detail. Sodium chloride (NaCl), for example, consists of ‘Na’, representing sodium, a metal, and ‘Cl’, representing chlorine, a non-metal.

Covalent compounds, on the other hand, involve non-metal elements sharing electrons, and their names include prefixes to indicate the number of atoms. For instance, carbon dioxide (CO2) has ‘di-‘ as a prefix, indicating two oxygen atoms.

#5 Practice with Real-World Examples

To solidify your understanding of chemical formulas, apply your knowledge to real-world examples. Explore the chemistry of everyday substances like water, salt, and household chemicals. Analyze their chemical formulas to the composition of these substances and how they interact in various situations.

Additionally, consider conducting simple experiments or demonstrations that involve chemical reactions. For instance, look at the reaction between vinegar (acetic acid, CH3COOH) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3) to produce carbon dioxide gas (CO2). Observing and breaking down this common reaction will let you understand how it was made possible.

Conclusion

According to ThoughtCo, chemistry, being a vast discipline, is an extremely difficult subject. However, it’s also been said here that chemistry feels hard because we perceive it as hard. Otherwise, mastering this subject need not be that difficult.

Learning and understanding chemical formulas is an essential step in mastering chemistry. Approach your study of chemical formulas with curiosity and a willingness to practice and explore.

Along the way, don’t hesitate to look back at these tips whenever needed. They will really help you get a firm grasp on various chemical formulas, including the most complicated ones.