Common Chemical Compounds and Their Everyday Names Trivia Word Search

This naturally magnetic iron oxide mineral was used to make early compasses.

NH3 is a pungent gas widely used in cleaning products and nitrogen fertilizers.

The NH4+ ion, common in fertilizer compounds like nitrate and sulfate salts, is known as the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ion.

Ethylene _ _ _ _ _ _ is the compound used as engine antifreeze and in some skincare products.

This enzyme, traditionally taken from calf stomachs, curdles milk to make cheese.

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is the soft mineral compound used in classroom writing sticks.

The acid that builds up in muscles during hard exercise, and sours milk, is called _ _ _ _ _ _ acid.

This structural protein compound is the most abundant protein in the human body.

The iron-rich, oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells gets half its name from a protein piece called _ _ _ _ _ _.

This lightweight foamed polystyrene material is used in disposable cups and packing peanuts.

This simple sugar compound is naturally abundant in fruit and honey.

This naturally occurring fossil-fuel compound mixture is refined into gasoline and diesel.

This zinc oxide-based lotion is dabbed on to soothe poison ivy rash and itching.

This pigment compound gives human skin, hair, and eyes their color.

The mild acid that gives carbonated soda water its fizz is called _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ acid.

This crystalline form of silicon dioxide is common in jewelry and clock oscillators.

This bitter plant compound gives red wine and strong tea their dry, puckering taste.

A key acid in grapes and wine, it can crystallize into the gritty deposits called wine diamonds: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ acid.

This soft, slippery form of pure carbon is used as the 'lead' inside a pencil.

FeS2 is a brassy, metallic-looking mineral nicknamed 'fool's gold.'

This plant-derived compound helps fruit jams and jellies thicken and set.

Sucrose (C12H22O11) is the scientific name for this sweet crystalline carbohydrate.

This compound gives chili peppers their spicy heat.

This hormone compound, also called epinephrine, triggers the body's fight-or-flight response.

A dilute solution of acetic acid gives this sour condiment its sharp tang.

Once called aqua fortis, this acid, HNO3, is used in fertilizers and explosives and is called _ _ _ _ _ _ acid.

SiO2 is the main compound found in beach sand and is melted down to make glass.

Sodium hydroxide, NaOH, is a caustic substance traditionally used in soap-making.

CH4 is the primary component of the natural gas piped into many homes.

This reddish-brown ore is the primary source of aluminum metal.

This colorless, odorless, toxic gas, carbon _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, forms from incomplete fuel combustion.

Sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3, is a kitchen staple commonly known as baking _ _ _ _.

This tough compound forms the exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans.

This reddish-brown compound, Fe2O3, forms when iron reacts with oxygen and moisture.

The acid found in car batteries, H2SO4, is known as _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ acid.

This ion, PO4 3-, is a key component of DNA, bones, and many fertilizers.

This refined petroleum product compound is used to fuel jet engines and old-fashioned lamps.

H2O is the chemical formula for this life-sustaining liquid that covers most of Earth's surface.

The acid found naturally in lemons and oranges is called _ _ _ _ _ _ acid.

This waxy hydrocarbon compound is commonly molded into candles.

First synthesized in 1863, this pale-yellow explosive compound's initials stand for trinitrotoluene.

This lead sulfide mineral was historically used as the detector crystal in early radios.

This ion, often added to drinking water and toothpaste, helps prevent tooth decay.

This addictive compound is found naturally in tobacco plant leaves.

Magnesium sulfate crystals, dissolved in warm baths to soothe sore muscles, are called _ _ _ _ _ salts.

H2O2 is a common antiseptic that fizzes on contact with a scraped knee.

This ion, CO3 2-, is found in chalk, limestone, and antacid tablets.

The acid that gives vinegar its sour bite is called _ _ _ _ _ _ acid.

This sodium borate compound is a classic ingredient in laundry boosters and homemade slime.

This sticky petroleum-based compound is used to pave roads.

This sedimentary rock, mostly calcium carbonate, is a key ingredient in cement.

This orange pigment compound gives carrots their color and converts to vitamin A.

C2H5OH is the type of alcohol found in beer, wine, and spirits.

This neurotransmitter compound plays a central role in the brain's reward and pleasure system.

Magnesium silicate is the softest mineral on the Mohs scale and is ground up for baby powder.

First produced in 1935, this synthetic polymer revolutionized stockings and climbing rope.

This slick synthetic polymer coats non-stick frying pans.

This aromatic waxy compound from a namesake tree is used in vapor rubs and mothballs.

This fibrous protein compound makes up hair, nails, and the outer layer of skin.

This stimulant compound is naturally found in coffee beans and tea leaves.

This hormone compound, produced in the pancreas, regulates blood sugar levels.

This flammable hydrocarbon gas, C3H8, fuels many outdoor grills.

This ion, OH-, combines with sodium to form a strong base used in soap-making.

A buildup of _ _ _ _ acid in the joints is the underlying cause of gout.

C6H12O6 is a simple sugar that serves as the body's primary energy source.

Plants absorb this gas, carbon _ _ _ _ _ _ _, during photosynthesis and release oxygen.

This bright red mercury sulfide mineral was historically ground up as a pigment.

This carbohydrate compound, stored in potatoes and grains, is a major energy source for plants.

O3 is a gas that forms a protective layer high in Earth's stratosphere.

Vitamin C is more formally known as _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ acid.

Potassium nitrate, once a key ingredient in gunpowder and cured meats, was historically called _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

NaCl seasons food and was so prized in the ancient world that it was widely traded like money.

This hydrocarbon gas, C4H10, is commonly used in disposable lighters.

A general term for potassium-rich minerals used in fertilizer, this substance was historically made by leaching wood ashes.

This protein compound found in wheat gives bread dough its stretchy texture.

Leafy greens and fortified grains are rich in _ _ _ _ _ acid, a B vitamin also called folate.

This organic compound is the primary flavor component of real vanilla extract.

This organic compound gives mint leaves and cough drops their cooling sensation.

Calcium sulfate is a soft mineral used to make plaster and drywall, known as _ _ _ _ _ _.

The tart acid found naturally in apples is called _ _ _ _ _ acid.

This ion, NO3-, is a key component of many fertilizers and cured-meat preservatives.

This ion, Cl-, combines with sodium to form ordinary table seasoning.

Spinach and rhubarb leaves contain natural amounts of _ _ _ _ _ _ acid.

This extremely hard, sparkling form of pure carbon is prized as a gemstone.

This solvent compound is the main ingredient in nail polish remover.

This protein compound makes up roughly 80 percent of the protein in cow's milk.

Made by boiling animal collagen, this protein compound gives gummy candies their chewy texture.

Calcium oxide (CaO) is a caustic industrial compound used in cement-making and old stage lighting.

Pool suppliers commonly sell hydrochloric acid under the older name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ acid.

This neurotransmitter compound is often nicknamed the body's 'feel-good' chemical.

This chemical signal compound is released by animals to influence the behavior of others of their species.

This weak acid, used as a mild antiseptic, eyewash ingredient and roach killer, is called _ _ _ _ _ acid.

This complex carbohydrate compound forms the rigid cell walls of plants.

This synthetic plastic polymer, abbreviated from polyvinyl chloride, is used in pipes and vinyl records.