List of Chemical compounds their common formula , name and uses
The table below contains the common names of important chemical compounds, their chemical formulas, and uses. The list has been prepared after a thorough analysis of previous year papers in which questions related to this topic were asked. This list is very useful for the candidates preparing for various government exams like SSC CGL, State PCS, SSC CHSL, RRB NTPC, SSC CPO, RRB JE, SSC JE etc. Read this study material and boost your preparation for General Awareness section. ,
| Common Name | Chemical Compounds/Elements | Chemical Formula | Uses |
| Baking Soda | Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate or Sodium bicarbonate | NaHCO3 | It is used as an ingredient in baking. |
| Antiformin/ Bleach/ Chloride of Soda | Sodium hypochlorite | NaOCI/NaClO | It is used on a large scale for surface purification, bleaching, odour removal and water disinfection. |
| Bleaching Powder | Calcium Oxychloride | CaOCl2 | It is used as a bleaching agent and disinfectant. |
| Blue Vitriol | Copper Sulphate | CuSO4.xH2O | It is used to control
fungus and algae. |
| Borax | Sodium tetraborate decahydrate/ Sodium Borate | Na2[B4O5(OH)4].8H2O | It is used in laundry detergent. |
| Calomel | Mercurous chloride | Hg2CI2 | It is used as a fungicide, and formerly in medicine as a purgative. |
| Carbolic Acid/ Hydroxybenzene/ Phenic Acid | Phenol | C6H5OH | It is used as a disinfectant in household cleaners. |
| Carborundum | Silicon carbide | SiC | It is used in automotive brakes and clutches. |
| Caustic potash | Potassium hydroxide | KOH | It is used in liquid fertilizers, potassium soaps and detergents. |
| Chile Saltpetre | Sodium Nitrate | NaNO3 | It is used for making high-strength glasses, fertilizers and explosives. |
| Chloroform | Trichloromethane | CHCI3 | It is used as a solvent for lacquer, floor polishes and resins. |
| Cream of tartar | Potassium hydrogen tartrate/ potassium bitartrate | KC4H5O6 | It is used in bakery to stabilize egg whites. |
| Dolomite | Calcium magnesium carbonate | CaMg(CO3)2 | It is used as an ingredient in the production of glass, bricks, and ceramics. |
| Dry Ice | Solid carbon dioxide | CO2 | It is used to preserve food. |
| Epsom salt | Magnesium sulphate heptahydrate | MgSO4.7H2O | It is known to relieve pain and inflammation. |
| Freon-12/CFC-12 | Dichlorodifluoromethane | CCl2F2 | It is used as a refrigerant in refrigerators and air conditioners. |
| Galena | Lead (ll) sulphide | PbS | It is also used in a green glaze applied to pottery. |
| Glauber’s Salt | Sodium sulphate decahydrate | Na2 SO4.10H2O | It is used in medicine and as a dyeing agent. |
| Glycerol | Propane-1,2,3-triol | C3H8O3 | It is used in food and skin care industry. |
| Green Vitriol | Ferrous sulphate heptahydrate | FeSO4. 7H2O | It is used in sewage and water treatment, and as a pigment, fertilizer. |
| Gypsum | Calcium sulphate dihydrate | CaSO4.2H2O | It is used to manufacture dry wall. |
| Common Name | Chemical Compounds/Elements | Chemical Formula | Uses |
| Heavy water | Deuterium Oxide | D2O | It is used in nuclear reactors, as a neutron moderator. |
| Hypo Solution | Sodium Thiosulphate pentahydrate | Na2S2O3.5H2O | It is used for both film and photographic paper processing. |
| Hematite | Iron (lll) Oxide/ Ferric Oxide | Fe2O3 | It is used to produce pigments, preparations for heavy media separation, radiation shielding etc. |
| Laughing gas | Dinitrogen monoxide / Nitrous Oxide | N2O | It is used by dentist. |
| Quick Lime/ Burnt Lime | Calcium Oxide | CaO | It is used in production of iron and steel, paper and pulp and in treatment of water. |
| Slaked Lime | Calcium Hydroxide | Ca(OH)2 | It is used in mortars, plasters, and cements. |
| Limestone | Calcium carbonate | CaCO3 | It is used as a building material. |
| Litharge(Red) and Massicot (Yellow) | Lead (ll) Oxide/ Lead Monoxide | PbO | It is used in the manufacture of Lead Stabilizers pottery, Lead glass, paints, enamels, and inks. |
| Lye/ Caustic soda | Sodium hydroxide | NaOH | It is used in manufacture of pulp and paper, alumina, soap and detergents. |
| Marsh Gas | Methane | CH4 | It is poisonous gas mainly found in mines. |
| Methyl ethyl ketone/ Butanone | Butan-2-one | C4H8O | It is mainly used in paint formation. |
| Milk of magnesia | Magnesium hydroxide | Mg(OH)2 | It is used as an antacid to relieve indigestion, sour stomach, and heartburn. |
| Mohr’s Salt | Ammonium iron (II) sulphate | (NH4)2Fe(SO4)2 · 6H2O | It is used to increase the shelf life of iron and reduce oxidation. |
| Aqua Fortis/ Spirit of Niter | Nitric acid | HNO3 | It is used for production of explosives, and fertilizers. |
| Muriatic acid | Hydrochloric acid | HCI | It is used as a food additive,
and in gelatin production, Leather processing, etc. |
| Oil of Vitriol | Sulphuric acid | H2SO4 | It is use for making fertilizer. |
| Wintergreen oil | Methyl salicylate | C8H8O3 | It is used in traditional medicine for the
bacterial infections. |
| Phosgene | Carbonyl dichloride | COCl2 | It is used to make plastics and pesticides. |
| Plaster of Paris | Calcium sulphate hemihydrate | CaSO4.1/2H2O | It is used as a protective coating on walls and ceilings. |
| Potash Alum/Potassium Alum | Potassium aluminium sulphate dodecahydrate |
KAl(SO4)2·12H2O
|
It is commonly used in water purification, leather tanning, dyeing. |
| Rochelle Salt | Potassium sodium tartrate | KNaC4H4O6.4H2O | It is used in manufacturing of pectins and gelatines. |
| Quartz | Silicon dioxide (Silica) | SiO2 | It is used as oscillators in radios, watches. |
| QuickSilver | Mercury | Hg | It is used in thermometers, thermostats, barometers |
| Table Salt/Common Salt | Sodium chloride | NaCI | It is commonly used as a condiment and food preservative. |
| 2-propanol/Propan-2-ol | Isopropyl alcohol | (CH3)2CHOH | It is used to treat tremors, chest pain, hypertension, heart rhythm disorders, and other heart or circulatory conditions. |
| Sal ammoniac | Ammonium chloride | NH4CI | It is used as cleaning agent in several industrial processes. |
| Saltpetre | Potassium nitrate | KNO3 | It is used as a common food preservative. |
| Slaked Lime | Calcium hydroxide | Ca(OH)2 | It is used to form mortars, plasters, and cements. |
| TNT | Trinitrotoluene | C6H2(NO2)3CH3 | It is used in used in military shells, bombs, and grenades. |
| Vermilion/ Cinnabar | Mercuric sulphide | HgS | It is used as a pigment, and carve it into jewelry and ornaments. |
| Washing Soda | Sodium carbonate decahydrate | Na2CO3. 10H2O | It is used in commercial detergent mixtures to treat hard water. |
| White Vitriol | Zinc Sulphate | ZnSO4.7H2O | It is used for preserving skins and wood. |