Molecular Compounds

A molecular compound is a type of chemical compound that is made up of individual molecules. These molecules are composed of two or more atoms that are held together by covalent bonds.

In this article, you will learn:

• Molecular Compounds
• Binary Molecular Compound Names
• FAQs

Molecular Compounds

Molecular compounds can be composed of elements of the same or different types. For example, water (H2O) is a molecular compound made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. In comparison, Oxygen (O2) is a molecular compound made up two atom of same element Oxygen.

Molecular compounds are usually gases, liquids, or low-melting solids at room temperature. They are usually non-conductive in their solid and liquid states and have low boiling and melting points, this is because the forces holding the atoms together in the molecule are relatively weak to ionic compound.

It is important to note that not all compounds that are composed of molecules are molecular compounds. Some compounds that are composed of ions are ionic compounds, which are held together by ionic bonds, instead of covalent bonds.

Some examples of molecular compounds include:

It’s worth mentioning that some of these examples can have different physical state, like water and ethanol are liquids, while CO2 and N2 are gases, and Aspirin is a solid.

Binary Molecular Compound Names

Binary molecular compounds are chemical compounds composed of two different elements. The names of binary molecular compounds are formed by combining the name of the first element with the name of the second element, with the suffix -ide.

For example, the binary molecular compound made up of carbon and chlorine is named carbon chloride. The chemical formula for carbon chloride is CCl4.

In some cases, the name of the first element is modified to indicate the number of atoms present. For example, the binary molecular compound made up of one carbon atom and two hydrogen atoms is named methane, and the chemical formula is CH4.

Another example is when the first element is a transition metal, the name of the compound is formed by using the metal name and adding the name of the second element with the suffix -ate or -ite, depending on the charge of the ion. For example FeCl3 is called Iron(III) chloride, while FeCl2 is called Iron(II) chloride.

It is important to note that there are some exceptions to these naming conventions, and you should always check the chemical formula and the context of the compound before naming it.

FAQS

Grade 6 Science Worksheets

• Inquiry process
• Nature of Science
• Scientific Inquiry
• Inquiry, Analysis and Problem Solving
• Ethical Practices
• Science and Society
• Biotic and Abiotic Factors
• Impact of Organisms
• Adaptation
• Spheres of Earth
• Natural Resources
• Environmental Issues
• Conservation of Earth
• Understanding Technology
• Abilities To Do Technological Design
• Structure of Earth
• Solar System
• Rocks and Fossils
• Earth Systems
• Plate Tectonics
• Evolution
• Magnetic Field of Earth
• Geologic Time
• Materials and Processes That Shape a Planet
• Astronomy
• Ecology
• Energy
• Kinetic and Potential Energy
• Energy Transfer
• Matter and its Structure
• States of Matter
• Physical and Chemical Changes
• Force and Motion
• Electricity and Magnetism
• Wave Interactions
• Sound
• Light
• Introduction to Life Science
• The Origin & History of Life On Earth
• Plant and Animal Cells
• Parts of a Cell
• The Cell Cycle
• How Living Organisms Get Energy
• Classification of Organisms
• How Plants Grow & Reproduce
• The Human Respiratory System
• The Human Cardiovascular System
• The Human Digestive System
• The Human Endocrine Systems
• The Human Nervous System
• The Human Muscular System
• The Human Skeletal System

Grade 6 Math Worksheets

• Probability
• Ratio
• Sequence & Patterns
• Division Word Problems  (New)
• Solving two step equations (New)
• One Step Equation  (New)
• Place Value  (New)
• Two Step Equation  (New)
• To convert percents to decimals and vice versa  (New)
• To convert Percents to Fractions and vice versa  (New)