[Mikez]

I am having some trouble with my nomenclature. More specifically, ones  diatomic molecules, I don't know if the charge remains the same or not when there is a diatomic molecule

How do I know when Oxygen is diatomic (with 2) and when it is not (ex. O or O₃)

For example,
1. write the formula for boron fluoride. Is it  2B3F₂ ?
2. write formula for Lead (IV) Nitride. Is it Pb₂2N₂

also, should I capitalize the names (when changing formula to words)?

thanks

[Yggdrasil]

Diatomic applies only to when the element is alone and not bonded to other atoms.  So chlorine is Cl₂.  But other variants of chlorine, including chloride ions (Cl^-), chlorine radicals (Cl^.), or chlorine compounds (e.g. chloroform CHCl₃) are not necessarily diatomic.

So, when you are figuring out the formulas of compounds, you can basically ignore the fact that certain elements are diatomic because that has no effect on them when they form compounds.

Also, you do not need to capitalize the names of elements when written in full.  However, you do need to capitalize the symbols of elements correctly (i.e. chlorine is Cl, not cl or CL).

[constant thinker]

For reference, the diatomic molecules are hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and all the halogens.

Keep in mind all of what Yggdrasil said since he beat me to it, and is right.

[Mikez]

thanks for all your help