Question

Why NH4Clis not writtenas ClNH​4 and NH4OH is not written as OHNH4as both of them contains the same elements and the same numbers of atom?? If we consider that the negative ions of any salt family or ionic compound is placed after the positive ion Then why Ammonium acetate is written as CH3COONH4 and not NH4CH3COO???Please explain long??

Answer 1

Mostly the more electronegative elements are placed after the less electronegative ones. Example- in Hydrofluoric acid HF, Hydrogen is less electronegative than F and thus NH4Cl is not ClNH4 because Cl is more electronegative than NH4