Some compounds are better known by their common names than by their systematic chemical names. Give the chemical formulas of the following substances: (a) dry ice, (b) table salt, (c) laughing gas, (d) marble (chalk, limestone), (e) quicklime, (f) slaked lime, (g) baking soda, (h) washing soda, (i) gypsum, (j) milk of magnesia.

Chemicals often have common names that may come from historical use, origin, or characteristics that make them easily recognizable outside of scientific contexts. Understanding these names is critical for students and professionals in various fields, as they are frequently encountered in literature, daily life, and consumer products.

For example, the term 'dry ice' is commonly used in everyday language, rather than its chemical name, carbon dioxide ((CO_2), because it describes the solidified state of CO_2, which sublimates without becoming liquid at atmospheric pressure. Similarly, 'table salt' represents sodium chloride ((NaCl), and 'laughing gas' refers to nitrous oxide ((N_2O); these terms give no indication of their chemical structure but are entrenched in popular usage due to their applications and effects.

Understanding these common names alongside their scientific counterparts can assist students in bridging the gap between daily conversations and the precision required in a scientific setting.

Systematic chemical names provide a standardized method for naming chemical substances based on their composition and structure, ensuring clarity and precision in scientific communication. They follow rules set by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), which allow chemists worldwide to decipher the components and arrangement of atoms in a compound.

For instance, 'sodium bicarbonate' is the systematic name for baking soda, and its chemical formula is NaHCO3. The 'sodium' indicates the presence of the element sodium ((Na), 'bicarbonate' hints at a compound containing one hydrogen atom, one carbon atom, and three oxygen atoms ((HCO_3) attached to the sodium ion. This level of detail illustrates how each part of the chemical name corresponds to the compound's structure, which is fundamental when studying chemical reactions and interactions.

As such, systematic names allow for clear and unambiguous communication in scientific literature and are essential for students to master as part of their chemical education.

Inorganic compounds are substances that typically do not contain a carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bond, distinguishing them from organic compounds. They include a vast range of materials such as salts, minerals, metals, and nonmetals that play crucial roles in both everyday life and industrial applications.

In the context of the exercise, examples include calcium carbonate ((CaCO_3), found in types like marble, chalk, and limestone; calcium oxide (quicklime, (CaO)); and magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia, (Mg(OH)_2)). Their properties, such as hardness, alkalinity, or reactivity with acids, lend themselves to various uses from construction materials to dietary supplements and antacids.

Students should comprehend these compounds, their properties, and their applications to understand the vast range of materials around them. The versatility of inorganic compounds and their interactions with other substances are foundational concepts that have implications in environmental science, medicine, and engineering, among other fields.