How is the order of elements decided when talking about compounds?

Question

For example, why is it NaCl instead of ClNa?

In: 2

Answer 1

Just like how mathematics has order of operations, so does chemistry. Generally for simple compounds you organize them in terms of increasing electronegativity, H2O, HCl, NaCl, etc. For more complicated molecules you want them organized by central atom and then functional groups, so rather than H4C you would instead write CH4. It is also generally good practice to differentiate molecules with similar structures by writing them differently C2OH6 can be either ethanol (C2H5OH) or dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3) one of those makes a party and the other makes a wake.