Common names and chemical formulas

41 compounds known by their common names, with the formula, chemical name, how each is made and what it is used for.

Updated 28 October 2026Free · no sign-up

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Common name	Formula
Baking sodasodium hydrogen carbonate (sodium bicarbonate)	NaHCO₃
Washing sodasodium carbonate decahydrate	Na₂CO₃·10H₂O
Soda ashanhydrous sodium carbonate	Na₂CO₃
Bleaching powdercalcium oxychloride (calcium hypochlorite chloride)	CaOCl₂
Plaster of Pariscalcium sulphate hemihydrate	CaSO₄·½H₂O
Gypsumcalcium sulphate dihydrate	CaSO₄·2H₂O
Quicklimecalcium oxide	CaO
Slaked limecalcium hydroxide	Ca(OH)₂
Limestone (chalk, marble)calcium carbonate	CaCO₃
Common saltsodium chloride	NaCl
Caustic sodasodium hydroxide	NaOH
Caustic potashpotassium hydroxide	KOH
Blue vitriolcopper(II) sulphate pentahydrate	CuSO₄·5H₂O
Green vitrioliron(II) sulphate heptahydrate	FeSO₄·7H₂O
White vitriolzinc sulphate heptahydrate	ZnSO₄·7H₂O
Epsom saltmagnesium sulphate heptahydrate	MgSO₄·7H₂O
Glauber's saltsodium sulphate decahydrate	Na₂SO₄·10H₂O
Potash alumpotassium aluminium sulphate dodecahydrate	K₂SO₄·Al₂(SO₄)₃·24H₂O
Boraxsodium tetraborate decahydrate	Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O
Mohr's saltferrous ammonium sulphate hexahydrate	FeSO₄·(NH₄)₂SO₄·6H₂O
Hyposodium thiosulphate pentahydrate	Na₂S₂O₃·5H₂O
Laughing gasnitrous oxide (dinitrogen monoxide)	N₂O
Dry icesolid carbon dioxide	CO₂
Marsh gasmethane	CH₄
Muriatic acidhydrochloric acid	HCl
Oil of vitriolsulphuric acid	H₂SO₄
Sal ammoniacammonium chloride	NH₄Cl
Lunar causticsilver nitrate	AgNO₃
Chile saltpetresodium nitrate	NaNO₃
Saltpetre (Indian saltpetre)potassium nitrate	KNO₃
Calomelmercury(I) chloride	Hg₂Cl₂
Corrosive sublimatemercury(II) chloride	HgCl₂
Philosopher's woolzinc oxide	ZnO
Red lead (sindhur)triplumbic tetroxide (lead(II,IV) oxide)	Pb₃O₄
Liquid bleachsodium hypochlorite	NaOCl
Vinegarethanoic acid (acetic acid), 5–8% in water	CH₃COOH
Table sugarsucrose	C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁
Spirit (grain alcohol)ethanol	C₂H₅OH
Wood spiritmethanol (methyl alcohol)	CH₃OH
Chloroformtrichloromethane	CHCl₃
Carbamideurea	CO(NH₂)₂

The NCERT Class 10 five

Most board and NEET questions on common names come from these: baking soda (NaHCO₃), washing soda (Na₂CO₃·10H₂O), bleaching powder (CaOCl₂), plaster of Paris (CaSO₄·½H₂O) and caustic soda (NaOH). All five are made from common salt.

For ore names (galena, bauxite, haematite) see the inorganic colours and ores page.

Questions students ask

What is the chemical formula of baking soda?

NaHCO₃, sodium hydrogen carbonate.

What is the chemical formula of washing soda?

Na₂CO₃·10H₂O, sodium carbonate decahydrate.

What is the chemical formula of plaster of Paris?

CaSO₄·½H₂O, calcium sulphate hemihydrate.

What is the chemical formula of bleaching powder?

CaOCl₂, calcium oxychloride.

Common names and chemical formulas

The NCERT Class 10 five

Questions students ask

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