Identify covalent and ionic compounds in natural and engineered environments (formulas + IUPAC/generic names)

103 topics across 7 chapters

Chapter 1

Bonding foundations (why compounds are ionic vs covalent)

Ionic bonding basics (ions, lattices, charge balance)

Covalent bonding basics (molecules, electron sharing, valence)

Polarity & intermolecular forces (predict properties from structure)

Solubility & dissociation (electrolytes vs nonelectrolytes in water)

Chapter 2

Chemical formulae & representations (write and interpret formulas correctly)

Empirical vs molecular formulas (what the subscripts mean)

Hydrates, adducts, and dot notation (e.g., CaSO4·2H2O)

Writing ionic formulas from charges (including polyatomic ions)

Balancing chemical equations (context for formation/transformations)

Chapter 3

Naming compounds (IUPAC rules + common/generic names)

Naming ionic compounds (cation + anion, multivalent metals, hydrates)

Naming covalent molecular compounds (prefix system; common exceptions)

Naming acids and bases (e.g., carbonic acid, sodium hydroxide)

Polyatomic ions & oxidation states (tables + how to use them)

Common/generic names vs IUPAC (why both appear in real contexts)

Chapter 4

Compounds in natural environments (air, oceans, rocks, soils, living systems)

Ionic compounds found in nature (salts & minerals)

5 subtopics

Sea-salt ions and evaporite salts (natural brines and oceans)

3 subtopics

NaCl — sodium chloride (halite; common salt)

MgCl2 — magnesium chloride (found in seawater/brines)

KCl — potassium chloride (sylvite; evaporite mineral)

Carbonate minerals and buffering salts

2 subtopics

CaCO3 — calcium carbonate (calcite/limestone/chalk)

NaHCO3 — sodium hydrogen carbonate (sodium bicarbonate; nahcolite in nature)

Sulfate minerals (common ionic solids in rocks/soils)

2 subtopics

CaSO4·2H2O — calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum)

MgSO4·7H2O — magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (epsomite)

Soil nutrient salts (naturally occurring ions important to ecosystems)

2 subtopics

KNO3 — potassium nitrate (niter/saltpeter; natural deposits)

NH4NO3 — ammonium nitrate (occurs naturally; also widely manufactured)

Natural metal sulfides/oxides (ore minerals; largely ionic/extended solids)

2 subtopics

FeS2 — iron disulfide (pyrite; “fool’s gold”)

Fe2O3 — iron(III) oxide (hematite; common iron ore)

Covalent compounds found in nature (molecules & network covalent solids)

4 subtopics

Water and small atmospheric/biogenic molecules

4 subtopics

H2O — oxidane (water)

CO2 — carbon dioxide (a major atmospheric and dissolved gas)

CH4 — methane (natural gas; produced by wetlands and microbes)

NH3 — ammonia (biogenic nitrogen compound; also industrially important)

Natural organics and biomolecule examples (covalent)

4 subtopics

C6H12O6 — glucose (a monosaccharide)

(C6H10O5)n — cellulose (a polysaccharide biopolymer)

C2H6O — ethanol (fermentation product; natural + engineered)

C6H8O7 — 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid (citric acid)

Network covalent solids in nature

2 subtopics

SiO2 — silicon dioxide (silica/quartz; network covalent)

C — carbon (diamond; network covalent allotrope)

Naturally occurring acids in waters and biochemistry

2 subtopics

H2CO3 — carbonic acid (formed from dissolved CO2 in water)

CH3COOH — ethanoic acid (acetic acid; produced biologically)

Linking natural observations: map carbon/nitrogen/sulfur species across air–water–soil

Chapter 5

Compounds in engineered environments (water treatment, agriculture, energy, materials)

Ionic compounds used/produced by engineering (salts, bases, electrolytes)

4 subtopics

Water & wastewater treatment ionic chemicals

4 subtopics

NaOH — sodium hydroxide (caustic soda; pH control/cleaning)

Ca(OH)2 — calcium hydroxide (slaked lime; softening/neutralization)

NaClO — sodium hypochlorite (bleach; disinfection)

Al2(SO4)3 — aluminum sulfate (alum coagulant; often used as hydrates)

Deicing & dust-control salts (roads/industrial sites)

2 subtopics

CaCl2 — calcium chloride (deicer; dust control; drying agent)

↗ NaCl — sodium chloride (halite; common salt) (see Chapter 4)

Agricultural fertilizers (ionic solids that dissolve to nutrients)

3 subtopics

(NH4)2SO4 — ammonium sulfate (fertilizer)

↗ NH4NO3 — ammonium nitrate (occurs naturally; also widely manufactured) (see Chapter 4)

NH4H2PO4 — ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (monoammonium phosphate; fertilizer)

Electrolytes for batteries and electrochemical systems

2 subtopics

LiPF6 — lithium hexafluorophosphate (Li-ion battery electrolyte salt)

KOH — potassium hydroxide (alkaline batteries; electrolyte/base)

Covalent compounds in engineered environments (fuels, polymers, refrigerants, chemicals)

4 subtopics

Engineered fuels & solvents (covalent molecules)

4 subtopics

↗ CH4 — methane (natural gas; produced by wetlands and microbes) (see Chapter 4)

C3H8 — propane (fuel gas)

C3H6O — propanone (acetone; solvent)

CH3OH — methanol (methyl alcohol; fuel/solvent/feedstock)

Polymers and plastics (covalent macromolecules; repeating-unit formulas)

3 subtopics

(C2H4)n — polyethylene (PE)

(C3H6)n — polypropylene (PP)

(C2H3Cl)n — poly(chloroethene) (polyvinyl chloride; PVC)

Pharmaceuticals & consumer chemicals (selected covalent examples)

2 subtopics

C9H8O4 — 2-(acetyloxy)benzoic acid (acetylsalicylic acid; aspirin)

CH4N2O — carbamide (urea; fertilizer/chemical feedstock)

Industrial gases & refrigerants (covalent molecules commonly used by industry)

4 subtopics

↗ CO2 — carbon dioxide (a major atmospheric and dissolved gas) (see Chapter 4)

↗ NH3 — ammonia (biogenic nitrogen compound; also industrially important) (see Chapter 4)

C2H2F4 — 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a; refrigerant)

O2 — dioxygen (industrial oxygen; medical/combustion processes)

Engineered materials & environmental releases: connect compounds to sources (industry, homes, transport)

Chapter 6

Identification & classification methods (decide ionic vs covalent; verify with tests)

Classification workflow: infer bonding from formula, elements, and expected properties

Simple lab tests (quick checks used in education and field screening)

4 subtopics

Solubility/dissolution observations (does it dissolve; does it form ions?)

Conductivity test (ionic solutions conduct strongly; many covalent do not)

Flame tests (identify common metal cations qualitatively)

pH tests and titration logic (identify acids/bases and buffering systems)

Instrumental analysis (confirm identity beyond simple classification)

4 subtopics

IR spectroscopy (functional groups; strong for covalent/organic identification)

XRD (X-ray diffraction) for crystalline ionic/mineral identification

ICP-OES/ICP-MS (measure metals; supports identification of ionic species sources)

Ion chromatography (separate/quantify anions and cations in water samples)

Using reference sources: SDS labels, water-quality reports, and chemical databases

Chapter 7

Practice (classification + naming drills using real-world examples)

Problem set: classify 30 formulas as ionic vs covalent and justify each choice

Problem set: write IUPAC/common names for 30 formulas (and vice versa)

Mini-project: interpret a drinking-water report (identify major ions and likely salts)

Mini-project: household/industrial product audit (match label chemicals to formulas and bonding type)

Self-check quiz + rubric (accuracy of formula, name, and ionic/covalent classification)