What is a chemical compound? Learn about types of chemical compounds and examples of compounds. Learn how chemical formulas represent the components of compounds.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Chemical Compound | Definition, Types & Examples
Table of Contents
- What Is a Compound in Chemistry?
- Types of Chemical Compounds
- Examples of Compounds
- Chemical Formulas of Compounds
- Lesson Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 3 types of compounds?
Types of chemical compounds include ionic compounds, covalent compounds, and organic compounds. Ionic compounds are made up of charged particles called ions. Covalent compounds are composed of atoms that share electrons. Organic compounds are covalent compounds containing carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms.
What are 5 examples of compounds?
Five common compounds are:
- Sugar (sucrose - C12H22O11)
- Table salt (sodium chloride - NaCl)
- Water (H2O)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda - NaHCO3)
What is the best definition of a compound?
A chemical compound is a type of substance. When atoms of more than one type bond together in a fixed ratio, they form compounds. Chemical reactions can break compounds into the elements that compose them. Compounds may also break down into simpler compounds.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Compound in Chemistry?
- Types of Chemical Compounds
- Examples of Compounds
- Chemical Formulas of Compounds
- Lesson Summary
In the simplest of terms, a chemical compound is a type of substance, and atoms make up chemical compounds. When atoms of more than one type bond together in a fixed ratio, they form compounds. Chemical reactions can break compounds into the elements that compose them. Compounds may also break down into simpler compounds.
Compounds Are Different from Elements and Mixtures
Atoms are the simplest particles of matter that have distinct chemical properties. Scientists currently recognize 118 individual types of atoms or elements. Atoms can form chemical bonds with one another, creating larger, more complex particles. Scientists classify substances by the combinations of particles that make them up. The three main classes of substances are elements, compounds, and mixtures:
- Elements – These are substances containing atoms of only one type. Chemical reactions cannot break elements up into simpler substances. Examples of elements are iron (Fe), oxygen (O₂), and silicon (Si).
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- Compounds – Compounds have more than one type of atoms connected by chemical bonds. Chemical reactions can break compounds into simpler substances. Examples of compounds are water (H₂O), and table salt (NaCl).
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- Mixtures – These contain two or more unbonded substances. Techniques that do not involve chemical reactions can separate mixtures. Examples of mixtures are saltwater, air, and cookie dough.
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Atoms of more than one type of element can bond together and form compounds. The three main types of bonds are ionic, covalent, and metallic. These distinct types of chemical bonds form distinct types of substances.
- Ionic bonds – These bonds form from the attraction between charged particles called ions. Ions can have positive or negative charges, and opposite charges attract one another. Cations have a positive charge; Anions have a negative charge. Ionic compounds can also have more complex cations and anions called polyatomic ions. Polyatomic ions such as sulfate (SO₄ −2), and ammonium (NH₄ +1) are ions made of two or more bonded atoms.
- Covalent bonds – Nonmetallic atoms form covalent bonds. When nonmetallic atoms of different types share electrons, they create molecules. Some examples are water (H₂O) and glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆). Covalent compounds can range in size from two atoms to thousands of atoms. Biological molecules such as proteins make up some of the largest covalent compounds.
- Metallic Bonds – Metallic bonds form from positive metal ions embedded in a sea of negative electrons. Alloys form when metals of different types form metallic bonds. An alloy is NOT a chemical compound because the distinct types of atoms do not combine in fixed ratios. Alloys are mixtures.
Organic and Inorganic Compounds
Another way of classifying compounds is as organic and inorganic:
Organic compounds always contain carbon. If any carbon atoms in the compound bind to hydrogen, it is organic. Examples of organic compounds are:
- Octane (C₈H₁₈)
- Ethanol (C₂H₆O)
- Glucose (C₆H₆O₆).
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Inorganic compounds do not have carbon, with certain exceptions. If a compound contains carbon, but the carbon atoms do NOT bond to any hydrogen atoms, it is inorganic. For example, compounds that have carbonate (CO₃ −2) or cyanate (OCN−) ions are inorganic. Some inorganic compounds include:
- Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃)
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
- Water (H₂O)
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Binary Compounds
Binary compounds can have more than two atoms, but precisely two elements make them up. There are many binary compounds, and they can be ionic or covalent, inorganic or organic.
Binary Ionic Compounds
When cations and anions bind due to the attraction of their opposite charges, they form ionic compounds. If the compound has only two types of ions, then it is a binary ionic compound. Metal cations and nonmetal anions compose these compounds. Examples include:
- Calcium Chloride (CaCl₂)
- Sodium Fluoride (NaF)
- Aluminum Oxide (Al₂O₃).
Binary Covalent Compounds
Covalent compounds form when atoms of nonmetals share electrons. If a covalent compound has exactly two different elements, then it is a binary covalent compound. Binary covalent compounds can be organic or inorganic. Some examples are:
- Nitrogen Monoxide (NO)
- Hydrogen Sulfide (H₂S)
- Methane (CH₄).
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Compounds contain bonded atoms of two or more elements. The bonds between these atoms can be ionic or covalent. Some compounds are organic, and some are inorganic. Many have only two elements, while many more have several types of atoms. Thus, scientists know of hundreds of thousands of compounds, and countless more exist. Here are some examples of common compounds:
| Name | Compound |
|---|---|
| Carbon Dioxide | CO₂ |
| Aspirin | C₉H₈O₄ |
| Water | H₂O |
| Sodium Bicarbonate | NaHCO₃ |
| Ammonia | NH₃ |
| Sulfuric Acid | H₂SO₄ |
| Table Salt (Sodium Chloride) | NaCl |
| Hydrogen Peroxide | H₂O₂ |
| Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) | C₆H₈O₆ |
Naming Chemical Compounds
Common Names
Humans have known about certain compounds for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Over time, common names developed for these substances. Some examples include:
- Water
- Ammonia
- Bleach
To be more systematic, scientists created a standard way to name compounds. Chemical nomenclature refers to such a set of naming rules. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) specifies the current rules of chemical nomenclature.
Standard Names of Ionic Compounds
Ionic compounds get their names according to their component cations and anions. The name of the cation comes first, followed by the anion. The cation's name is simply the of the element, such as calcium or magnesium. The name of the anion comes from the name of the element with the suffix -ide added to it.
| Name | Cation | Anion | Formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium Fluoride | Na+ | F- | NaF |
| Magnesium Chloride | Mg++ | Cl- | MgCl₂ |
| Aluminum Oxide | Al+++ | O-- | Al₂O₃ |
| Cesium Nitride | Cs+ | N--- | Cs₃N |
| Calcium Sulfide | Ca++ | S-- | CaS |
Sometimes a metal cation can have more than one charge or oxidation number. When this happens, the compound name will include a Roman numeral to specify the charge. For example, iron (Fe) can have an oxidation number of +2 or +3. Compounds containing iron include the Roman numeral II or III to specify the cation's charge.
| Name | Cation | Anion | Formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron (II) Oxide | Fe++ | O-- | FeO |
| Iron (III) Oxide | Fe+++ | O-- | Fe₂O₃ |
| Lead (II) Nitride | Pb++ | N--- | Pb₃N₂ |
| Lead (IV) Nitride | Pb++++ | N--- | Pb₃N₄ |
| Silver (II) Fluoride | Ag++ | F- | AgF₂ |
The names of ionic compounds containing polyatomic ions also come from the anions and cations that compose them. Instead of using the name of the element forming the ion, use the name of the polyatomic ion itself. Here are some examples:
| Name | Cation | Anion | Formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron (II) Hydroxide | Fe++ | OH- | Fe(OH)₂ |
| Ammonium Nitrate | NH4+ | NO3- | NH₄NO₃ |
| Lithium Sulfate | Li+ | SO4-- | Li₂SO₄ |
| Lead (IV) Acetate | Pb++++ | CH3COO- | Pb(CH₃COO)₄ |
| Sodium Carbonate | Na+ | CO3- | Na₂CO₃ |
Standard Names of Inorganic Binary Covalent Compounds
Inorganic covalent compounds get their names from the nonmetal atoms that form them. Naming binary covalent compounds is similar to naming binary ionic compounds. The element with the lowest group number (i.e., the element further to the left on the periodic table) comes first. If both elements are in the same group, the element lower down in the periodic table comes first. The name of the other element comes next, followed by the suffix -ide. For example, the covalent compound made from hydrogen and chlorine is hydrogen chloride (HCl). The name of the covalent compound made from phosphorous and nitrogen is phosphorous nitride (PN).
Suppose a binary covalent compound contains more than one atom of one type. In that case, the name of the element in the compound will include a prefix. For example, phosphorous pentanitride is the name of the compound made from one phosphorous and five nitrogen atoms (PN₅). The prefixes come from the Greek words for numbers. Here are the first ten prefixes:
- Mono- "one."
- Di- "two"
- Tri- "three"
- Tetra- "four"
- Penta- "five"
- Hexa- "six"
- Hepta- "seven"
- Octa- "eight"
- Nona- "nine"
- Deca- "ten"
Organic compounds have a separate set of naming rules.
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Chemical formulas are a way of representing the elements in a compound. Chemical formulas contain atomic symbols and digits to show the ratio of the different elements. For example, H₂O is the chemical formula for water. It shows that a molecule of water has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
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When a compound contains a polyatomic ion, special rules apply to writing the compound formula. For example, calcium nitrate contains two nitrate ions. Its formula is Ca(NO₃)₂. The name of the polyatomic ion, nitrate, is in parentheses, and the subscript 2 appears outside the parentheses to show that there are two nitrate ions for every one calcium ion.
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Here are some more examples of compound names and formulas:
| Compound Name | Formula |
|---|---|
| Water | H₂O |
| Sodium Chloride | NaCl |
| Glucose | C₆H₁₂O₆ |
| Magnesium Chlorate | Mg(ClO₄)₂ |
| Linoleic Acid | C₁₈H₃₂O₂ |
| Ammonia | NH₃ |
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Chemical compounds contain two or more types of atoms (elements). The atoms in compounds join together by chemical bonds. These can be covalent bonds or ionic bonds. Metallic bonds do not form compounds. Compounds are different from elements and mixtures. Chemical formulas show the number and type of different elements in a compound. There are several ways to categorize chemical compounds, such as:
- Ionic compounds vs. covalent compounds – Ionic compounds form from positive ions (cations) and negative ions (anions) that stick together due to electrostatic attraction. Ionic compounds often contain a metal cation and a nonmetal anion. Covalent compounds form from nonmetal atoms that share electrons. Covalent bondsbetween atoms create molecules.
- Organic compounds vs. inorganic compounds – Organic compounds contain carbon atoms covalently bonded to hydrogen atoms. Inorganic compounds are compounds that do not contain carbon-hydrogen bonds.
- Binary Compounds – Binary compounds contain exactly two different elements. These may be binary ionic compounds or binary covalent compounds.
Some compounds have common names such as water and baking soda. To make chemistry more systematic and to avoid confusion, scientists around the world use specific chemical nomenclature rules to name compounds. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemists (IUPAC) defines these rules. The rules for naming ionic, inorganic covalent, and organic compounds differ.
- Ionic compounds get their names from the ions that make them. Ionic compounds containing metal ions that can have more than one oxidation state use Roman numerals to specify the charge on the metal ion.
- Inorganic covalent compounds use Greek prefixes such as mono- and di- to indicate the number of atoms of different types in molecules.
- Scientists use a separate set of complex chemical nomenclature rules to name organic compounds.
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Video Transcript
Chemical Compounds Defined
The purest elements and chemicals can be found on the periodic table, and the majority of those listed can be found in nature. However, most of the things we encounter and use on a daily basis are actually chemical compounds. A chemical compound is a chemical combination of two or more elements that can normally be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means and have properties different from those of its component elements.
Types of Chemical Compounds
Chemical compounds are formed by elements that bond together. These bonds are typically covalent, ionic, or metallic bonds.
Ionic bonds are formed when two or more atoms of an element are joined together when one of the elements gains or loses electrons. Covalent bonds are chemical bonds that form when two or more atoms of an element share electrons. Metallic bonds are formed when metallic ions are attracted to the electrons of another element.
Examples of Chemical Compounds
Chemical compounds can be found in nature as well as in products we find in our homes. Have you ever seen a rusty metal object that has been left outside? When iron is exposed to the atmosphere for a period of time, it begins to rust. The material that we commonly refer to as rust is actually the chemical compound iron oxide. Iron oxide is formed when the iron in an object reacts with the oxygen in the atmosphere and forms ionic bonds that result in a chemical compound.
You probably have a container of salt in your kitchen. Salt is a very important chemical compound. It is required by our bodies to regulate electrolytes. Common table salt is sodium chloride and is formed when sodium atoms and chlorine atoms are joined together with an ionic bond. This means that the sodium loses one electron and the chlorine atom gains one electron to form the bond and create the chemical compound.
Another common chemical compound that we all require is water. Water is a chemical compound that is formed when two hydrogen atoms join with one oxygen atom. These atoms are held together because they share electrons as a result of a covalent bond. Metallic bonds also involve the sharing, or mutual attraction, of electrons, which is how the atoms within any metal are held together.
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Lesson Summary
Chemical compounds can be found all around us, and some of them are crucial to our lives, such as table salt and water. A chemical compound is a chemical combination of two or more elements that can normally be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means and have properties different from those of its component elements. Three of the most common types of bonds include covalent, ionic, and metallic bonds. Ionic bonds are formed when two or more atoms of an element are joined together when one of the elements gains or loses electrons. Covalent bonds are chemical bonds that form when two or more atoms of an element share electrons. Metallic bonds are formed when metallic ions are attracted to the electrons of another element. Rust, or iron oxide, and table salt are great examples of ionic bonds, and water is an excellent example of a covalent bond. Metallic bonds happen when electrons are shared or mutually attracted between several atoms within or between metals, which ultimately holds them together.
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