Chemical nomenclature quiz: name compounds and write formulas
15 quick questions to check your chemical nomenclature practice. Instant results.
Editorial: Review CompletedUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Use this chemical nomenclature quiz to practice IUPAC names, write formulas, and check your understanding in 15 quick questions. You will get instant feedback on every answer. For more study, try the nomenclature practice quiz, work on acids with the acid nomenclature quiz, or expand to compounds in the naming compounds quiz.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify correct IUPAC names for inorganic compounds
- Apply naming rules to organic molecules
- Demonstrate writing chemical formulas from names
- Analyse complex nomenclature for polyatomic ions
- Master systematic naming of functional groups
- Evaluate alternative naming conventions and synonyms
Cheat Sheet
- Master the IUPAC rules for naming inorganic compounds - Unlock the secret code chemists use worldwide by learning to name cations, anions, and their combinations with ease. Think of it as giving each compound its own scientific nickname!
- Apply the IUPAC nomenclature to organic molecules - Dive into the fun world of hydrocarbons by finding the longest carbon chain, assigning locants to substituents, and choosing suffixes for functional groups. Imagine you're a detective spotting clues in CH₃CH₂OH and naming it ethanol!
- Practice writing chemical formulas from names - Sharpen your translation skills by converting names like sodium sulfate into Na₂SO₄. This hands-on exercise cements your understanding of composition and stoichiometry in a flash.
- Analyze complex nomenclature involving polyatomic ions - Become a polyatomic pro by identifying ions such as NH₄❺ and SO₄²❻ in compounds like NH₄NO₃. Mastering these building blocks is like collecting badges on your chemistry adventure!
- Understand the systematic naming of functional groups - Learn the hierarchy that decides whether a hydroxyl or carboxyl group steals the spotlight in a compound's name. It's like awarding the best actor in a blockbuster molecule!
- Evaluate alternative naming conventions and synonyms - Don't get tricked by common names like acetic acid versus ethanoic acid; know both to impress your peers and ace exams. Familiarity with synonyms keeps you fluent in all chemistry dialects.
- Learn the Cahn - Ingold - Prelog priority rules - Assign priorities around chiral centers and confidently determine R/S configurations, just like solving a stereochemical puzzle. These rules are your key to unlocking molecular geometry secrets!
- Understand E - Z notation for double bonds - Discover whether substituents are 'entgegen' (opposite) or 'zusammen' (together) around a double bond in compounds like but-2-ene. It's a fun way to tell geometric twins apart!
- Practice naming compounds with multiple functional groups - Tackle molecules that boast both alcohols and ketones by giving the highest”priority group the headline suffix and the rest as prefixes. It's chemistry multitasking at its best!
- Review common polyatomic ions and their charges - Memorize your all”stars like nitrate (NO₃❻), sulfate (SO₄²❻), and phosphate (PO₄³❻) so you can name and balance ionic compounds in a snap. Charge up your memory with these essentials!
