ELEMENTS, COMPOUNDS AND

MIXTURES

ELEMENTS IN NATURE

There are 92 naturally occurring elements. They occur in different

proportions in Nature.

PERCENTAGE BY MASS OF ELEMENTS IN NATURE

The percentage by mass of elements in Nature is shown in Figure 6.1.

Figure 6.1 aluminium 7.3%

Percentage abundance by mass of elements
iron 4.1%
in Nature.
calcium 3.2%
silicon sodium 2.3%
26.0% potassium 2.3%
magnesium 2.1%
| all other elements 2.8%

Oxygen is the most abundant element in Nature — it alone accounts

for almost 50% by mass of all elements. Oxygen occurs as free element
(elemental form) in the atmosphere. It occurs in combined forms (with
other elements) in water, soils and rocks in the Earth’s crust (Figure 6.2).
Combined forms of elements are called compounds. The abundance of
Figure 6.2
Oxygen is present as free element in air free oxygen on Earth (Figure 6.3) is unique among all planets in the
and in combined forms in water and sand. Solar System.

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Figure 6.3
Our planet Earth is the only planet in the
Solar System having a lot of free oxygen.

Silicon is the second most abundant element. It does not occur free
in Nature, but its compounds (e.g. silicon(IV) oxide as sand) are very
abundant indeed. See Figure 6.4.
Aluminium is the third most abundant element. It is the most
abundant metal. It does not occur free in Nature. However, its compounds
are plentiful and widely distributed, a common one being aluminium
oxide (Figure 6.5).

Figure 6.4
Example 6.1 The element silicon and its common
compound:
Silicon and aluminium are the second and third most abundant elements in Nature. (a) Elemental silicon
Yet these two elements are not readily available for use. Explain. (b) A combined form of silicon — silicon (IV)
oxide (sand)
They do not exist as free elements in Nature. They exist in combined forms as
compounds. Thus these elements have to be extracted from their compounds by
some methods.

O6.1
Do you think there are living things on planets other than the Earth? Give
your reasoning.

Figure 6.5
The element aluminium and its common
compound:
(a) Elemental aluminium
(b) A combined form of aluminium —

6.2 COMPOUNDS
aluminium oxide (bauxite).

WHAT A COMPOUND IS
At present, there are over four million pure substances. They are extracted
from natural materials or prepared in laboratories. Moreover, many new
substances are made by chemists every day! That is, with a small number
of elements (just 109 at present), a very large number of substances
(compounds) can be formed by combinations among them.

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 A COMPOUND is a pure substance made up of two or more
elements chemically combined together.

Examples of compounds just mentioned are water, silicon(IV) oxide

and aluminium oxide.
Another example of a compound is copper(II) chloride. It is made
up of the elements copper and chlorine chemically combined together
(Figure 6.6). The reaction between copper and chlorine can be represented
by a word equation, which is a ‘short-hand’ summary (using words) of
the overall change in a reaction. In this case, the word equation is:

reads ‘reacts with’ reads ‘to produce’

f ,
copper + chlorine ——*— copper(II) chloride
ee) SS ee

reactants product
(reacting substances) (substance produced)

Cole) e)e]-Tml ole}iio(-1g

brown. .
copper(II)
chloride -

chlorine

Figure 6.6
Combination of copper and chlorine to
form a new substance — the compound
copper (I1) chloride.
(a) Heating of copper powder to red heat
in a deflagrating spoon.
(b) Reaction of hot copper with chlorine to
form brown copper(I!) chloride solid. (a)

More examples are:

iron + sulphur —— iron(II) sulphide

carbon + oxygen —~ carbon dioxide

Q6.2
Write a word equation for the formation of the compound water from
hydrogen and oxygen.

DECOMPOSITION OF COMPOUNDS
A compound may be decomposed (broken down) into its constituent
elements or simpler substances using heat or electricity (electrolysis).
However, an element can never be chemically decomposed.

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PROPERTIES OF COMPOUNDS COMPARED WITH THOSE OF

CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS
A compound, once formed, has its own physical and chemical properties.
The properties are entirely different from those of the constituent
elements. See Figure 6.6 again to convince yourself of this.

Q6.3
Refer to Figure 6.7. State any visible differences between the elements and
the compound formed.

sodium chlorine sodium chloride

Figure 6.7

ACTIVITY 1 When sodium

Jar of chlorine,
is heated and placed in a gas
sodium chloride is formed.
Experiment 6.1 To prepare a compound by direct combination and
compare chemical properties of the compound and its
constituent elements
(Experiment Workbook 1, p. 17)

NAMING OF COMPOUNDS
The name of a compound often tells what elements are present. There
are some simple rules about the naming of compounds.
(1) For a compound containing both metal and non-metal, the metal
part is usually named first, followed by the non-metal part. For
example, common salt is named as sodium chloride, not chloride
sodium. (See examples 1, 2, 7, 9, 10 in Table 6.1)
(2) Compounds containing only two elements often have names ending
in -ide. (See examples 1 — 6.) There are exceptions to this rule, e.g.
magnesium hydroxide and ammonium chloride. (See examples 7, 8.)
(3) It is more difficult to name compounds containing non-metals only.
In general, hydrogen is named first, while oxygen (or chlorine) is
named last. Thus it is hydrogen chloride, not chlorine hydride.
Prefixes such as mono- (for 1), di- (for 2), tri- (for 3) and tetra- (for
4) may also be included in the names. They give more information
about the composition of each compound. (See examples 3, 4, 5.)
(4) Compounds with names ending in -ate or -ite contain oxygen. (See
examples 9, 10.)

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 (5) All acids contain hydrogen. Acids usually have names ending in
‘ic acid’. Some acids contain oxygen as well. If two acids contain
exactly the same elements, the one with Jess oxygen will have its
name ending in ‘-ous acid’. (See examples 11, 12, 13, 14.)
(6) Some names are common names. They do not give much information
about which elements are present in the compounds. These names
have to be memorized. (See examples 15, 16.)
More rules about the naming of compounds will be discussed in
Chapters 7 and 14.

Compound | Elements in the compound

(1) Sodium chloride sodium, chlorine

(2) Calcium oxide calcium, oxygen
(3) Carbon monoxide carbon, oxygen
(4) Carbon dioxide carbon, oxygen
(5) Sulphur trioxide sulphur, oxygen
(6) Hydrogen chloride hydrogen, chlorine
(7) Magnesium hydroxide magnesium, hydrogen, oxygen
(8) Ammonium chloride nitrogen, hydrogen, chlorine
(9) Zinc carbonate zinc, carbon, oxygen
(10) Potassium sulphite potassium, sulphur, oxygen
(11) Nitric acid nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen
(12) Nitrous acid nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen
(13) Sulphuric acid sulphur, hydrogen, oxygen
(14) Sulphurous acid sulphur, hydrogen, oxygen
Table 6.1 (15) Water hydrogen, oxygen
Some common compounds and the elements (16) Ammonia | nitrogen, hydrogen
they contain.

Q6.4
(a) Name the elements present in the following compounds:
1% other gases (1) zinc bromide
(including argon 0.93%
and carbon dioxide 0.03%) (2) nitrogen monoxide
(3) iron(II) nitrate
(4) sodium hydroxide
(S) aluminium sulphate
(b) Name the compound which consists of the following elements:
(1) aluminium, oxygen
(2) oxygen, silver, carbon
(3) sulphur, hydrogen

78% nitrogen

6.3 COMPOUNDS AND MIXTURES

Figure 6.8
Percentage composition by volume of dry
WHAT A MIXTURE IS
air. Air is a mixture — it consists of elements
Natural forms of matter are called raw materials. Most of them consist
(nitrogen, oxygen, noble gases) and
compounds (carbon dioxide, water vapour) of pure substances mixed together. Soil and rocks, coal and oil, air and
not chemically combined together. oceans, plants and animals — all these are mixtures (Figure 6.8).

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 A MIXTURE consists of two or more pure substances (elements or
compounds) which have not been chemically combined together.

A pure substance is either an element or compound. An impure

substance is a mixture.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MIXTURE AND COMPOUND

Some of the differences between a mixture and a compound can be
seen by comparing a mixture and a compound of iron and sulphur.
If we just mix iron filings and sulphur powder, there is no heat change.
We get a mixture of the two elements. Iron and sulphur still retain their
original properties in the mixture.
When a mixture of iron and sulphur is strongly heated, the elements
combine together chemically. A new substance — the compound iron(II)
sulphide, is formed. A lot of heat is given out during this process. The
new substance has new properties.
Properties of the mixture and compound formed from iron and Table 6.2
sulphur are compared in Table 6.2. Comparison of properties of the mixture
and compound formed from iron and
sulphur.

: : P Compound of iron and sulphur

Action of Mixture of iron and sulphur rot eonice

, iron is attracted; non-magnetic (but unreacted iron

ae sulphur is not (Figure 6.9) remaining may make it seemingly magnetic)

iron sinks to the bottom; some yellowish the whole substance sinks to the bottom
water grey mixture forms a layer on top ofiron;
a little mixture floats

iron reacts to give colourless the compound reacts to give a gas

dilute hydrochloric acid bubbles of hydrogen; (hydrogen sulphide)
sulphur does not react which smells like bad eggs

carbon disulphide iron is insoluble; insoluble

(a liquid solvent) sulphur dissolves

Figure 6.9
Separating a mixture of iron filings and
powdered sulphur. Iron is attracted by the
magnet, while sulphur is not.

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 Table 6.3 summarizes the main differences between mixtures and
compounds.

1. Composition variable fixed

by mass (the substances in the (e.g. in water, the ratio
mixture can be mixed by mass of hydrogen to
together in any oxygen is always 1:8)
proportion)

2. Changes in no chemical reaction chemical reaction takes

formation takes place; place;
usually no heat change heat is usually given out
in making mixture or absorbed when
compound is made

3. Melting point melts or boils over a wide melts or boils at a

(m.p.) and range of temperatures definite temperature
boiling point (i.e. does not have a (i.e. with sharp m.p.
(b.p.) sharp m.p. or b.p.) and b.p.)

4. General each constituent properties are entirely

properties substance retains its different from those of
Own properties its constituent elements

5. Separation of constituents can be constituent elements

constituents separated by differences can only be separated
in physical properties by chemical reaction,
Table 6.3 not by differences in
Main differences between mixtures and physical properties
compounds.

Q6.5
Make a list of (a) five elements (b) five compounds and (c) five mixtures.

ACTIVITY 2 |
Make a large copy of the following table. Write in each box as many examples
of mixtures as you can.

MIXTURE

(Hint: In the box solid/solid (mixture), you can put down brass and other
examples.)

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CHECKLIST
After reading through this chapter, you should now be able to
1. state the three most abundant elements in Nature. write word equations for given chemical changes.
De recognize that the abundance of oxygen in elemental recognize that some compounds can be decomposed
form on Earth is unique among the planets in the by heat or electricity.
Solar System. prepare iron(II) sulphide (or carbon dioxide) by direct
recognize that silicon and aluminium exist in Nature combination and compare chemical properties of the
in combined forms and thus the elements are less compound with those of its constituent elements.
readily available for use. state and use some simple rules of naming compounds.
define compounds. describe differences between compounds and mixtures.
60

EXERCISE 6

Silver is an element because it +10. Classify each of the following as element, compound or
A. is formed when silver nitrate is heated. mixture. Give reasons for your choice.
B. combines with oxygen to form a compound. (a) Sea water (b) Air
C. occurs naturally. (c) Oxygen (d) Ethanol
D. cannot be decomposed chemically. (e) Whisky (f) Ink
(g) Ammonia (h) Coca-cola
Sodium chloride is a compound because it
A. is formed when sodium and chlorine react. 11. 1 part by mass of hydrogen reacts completely with 8
B. forms cubic crystals. parts by mass of oxygen to form the compound water.
C. has a sharp melting point. Suppose that 3 g of hydrogen are allowed to react with
D. is not decomposed by heat. 30 g of oxygen.
(a) Which of the two elements would not ali react?
When a pure substance X is heated strongly, a reddish (b) What mass of this element would be left after this
brown gas is evolved, leaving a black solid. From this reaction?
information alone, we can deduce that X is a (c) What mass of water would be formed?
A. compound.
B. mixture. tie. The following is a list of some common substances:
Cemetal: carbon (graphite), sodium hydroxide, chlorine,
D. non-metal. milk, iron, carbon dioxide, sulphur, copper,
sodium carbonate, river water, stainless steel
. Both mixture and compound From the above list, name
A. give out or absorb heat when made. (a) two metallic elements
B. contain constituents in fixed proportions. (b) three non-metallic elements
C. have masses equal to the sum of the masses of their (c) four substances that conduct electricity
constituents. (d) three compounds
D. have the same properties as those of their constituents. (e) three mixtures
(f) the three elements present in sodium carbonate

Questions 5 to 8 refer to the following diagrams, which show 13. The table below contains some information about five
the arrangements of atoms in four substances: substances A, B, C, D and E. Use this information to
decide whether each substance is an element, acompound,
or a mixture.

Changes on Other
Substance Appearance headne
information
A B Cc D
A blue solid melts at a high broken down
Which diagram represents the arrangement of atoms in temperature by electricity
when molten,
5. a pure element? producing a
metal and
6. a pure compound? a gas
B black liquid | split up into other
a mixture of elements? liquids with
different boiling
a mixture of compounds? points

FS FS £3 be Ee £5 grey solid burns when

heated in air to
form a single oxide
(a) Name the elements present in the following
colourless liquid boils away,
compounds:
liquid leaving a white
(i) Nitrogen monoxide solid residue
(ii) Nitric acid
(iii) Potassium hydrogencarbonate colourless burns in air to
(b) Name the compound which consists of the following gas form water
elements:
(i) Oxygen, sodium, carbon
(ii) Iodine, potassium
(iii) Oxygen, calcium, hydrogen