Common Names
Chemistry · सामान्य नाम
📋Quick Overview
Many chemicals have common names that are different from their chemical (IUPAC) names. This is one of the MOST ASKED topics in all competitive exams. You must memorize the common name, chemical name, and formula of at least 30+ important chemicals.
📖Common Names — Master Table
| Common Name | Chemical Name | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Baking Soda | Sodium Bicarbonate / Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate | NaHCO₃ |
| Washing Soda | Sodium Carbonate (decahydrate) | Na₂CO₃·10H₂O |
| Caustic Soda | Sodium Hydroxide | NaOH |
| Caustic Potash | Potassium Hydroxide | KOH |
| Common Salt / Table Salt | Sodium Chloride | NaCl |
| Plaster of Paris (POP) | Calcium Sulphate Hemihydrate | CaSO₄·½H₂O |
| Gypsum | Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate | CaSO₄·2H₂O |
| Bleaching Powder | Calcium Hypochlorite / Calcium Oxychloride | CaOCl₂ |
| Quick Lime / Unslaked Lime | Calcium Oxide | CaO |
| Slaked Lime | Calcium Hydroxide | Ca(OH)₂ |
| Limestone / Marble / Chalk | Calcium Carbonate | CaCO₃ |
| Blue Vitriol | Copper Sulphate Pentahydrate | CuSO₄·5H₂O |
| Green Vitriol | Ferrous Sulphate Heptahydrate | FeSO₄·7H₂O |
| White Vitriol | Zinc Sulphate Heptahydrate | ZnSO₄·7H₂O |
| Oil of Vitriol | Sulphuric Acid (conc.) | H₂SO₄ |
| Epsom Salt | Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate | MgSO₄·7H₂O |
| Laughing Gas | Nitrous Oxide | N₂O |
| Marsh Gas | Methane | CH₄ |
| Dry Ice | Solid Carbon Dioxide | CO₂ (solid) |
| Heavy Water | Deuterium Oxide | D₂O |
| Saltpetre / Nitre | Potassium Nitrate | KNO₃ |
| Chile Saltpetre | Sodium Nitrate | NaNO₃ |
| Vinegar | Dilute Acetic Acid (5-8%) | CH₃COOH |
| Milk of Magnesia | Magnesium Hydroxide | Mg(OH)₂ |
| Rust | Hydrated Ferric Oxide | Fe₂O₃·xH₂O |
| Sand / Silica | Silicon Dioxide | SiO₂ |
| Galena | Lead Sulphide | PbS |
| Vermillion / Cinnabar | Mercuric Sulphide | HgS |
| Spirit | Methyl Alcohol / Methanol | CH₃OH |
| Grain Alcohol | Ethyl Alcohol / Ethanol | C₂H₅OH |
| Chloroform | Trichloromethane | CHCl₃ |
| Lunar Caustic | Silver Nitrate | AgNO₃ |
| Philosopher's Wool | Zinc Oxide | ZnO |
| Mohr's Salt | Ammonium Ferrous Sulphate | (NH₄)₂Fe(SO₄)₂·6H₂O |