Properties of Covalent Compounds
• Formed between 2 non-metals
• Generally have much lower melting and boiling
points than ionic compounds.
• Are soft and squishy (compared to ionic compounds,
anyway).
• Don't conduct electricity in water.
• Aren’t usually very soluble in water.
• Tend to be more flammable than ionic compounds.
Prefixes for Covalent Compounds
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
mono
di
tri
tetra
penta
6. hexa
7. hepta
8. octa
9. nona
10.deca
Naming Covalent Compounds
• Covalent compounds have no charges
– So we need to say how many of each element using
prefixes
• PREFIX element 1
PREFIX element 2 IDE
NEVER BEGIN WITH MONO
Exceptions
Some covalent compounds are referred to
by their common name instead.
• H2O is "water"
• NH3 is "ammonia"
• CH4 is "methane"
Practice Problems
Practice
Formula to Name
Name to Formula
Br2Cl5
Carbon dioxide
Dibromine pentachloride
CO2
As3Se4
Dichlorine octaiodide
Triarsenic tetraselenide
Cl2I8
P 3O
Tetrastatine hexatelluride
Triphosphorus monoxide
SAt7
Sulfur heptaastatide
As4Te7
Triphosphorus nonasilicide
P3Si9