Question

What is the common name of methanal?

Answer 1

The chemical compounds can be known by their names. Different types of names will be given to the same compound. These different names can be called common names, IUPAC names and chemical names. Each chemical has these names, but some chemicals may not have common names.

Complete answer:
Chemical compounds are classified based on the functional group attached. Due to the attached functional group, chemical compounds names can be given.
Different functional groups include alcohols, ether, esters, amines, aldehydes, ketones, alkanes, alkenes and alkynes etc...,
Aldehydes and ketones contain a carbonyl group and can be called as carbonyl compounds. Aldehydes contain a carbonyl group attached to one hydrogen atom and alkyl groups. Ketones contain a carbonyl group attached to two alkyl groups.
Some of the examples of aldehyde are methanal, ethanal and propanal.
The suffix -al must be written to the root word of the carbon chain for the aldehydes.
Hence, if the given aldehyde contains one carbon atom, the root word is meth, it should attach with a suffix -al, then the name of the aldehyde will be methanal.
The molecular formula of methanal is $HCHO$. As the name written is based on the carbon chain and groups present in it, it is called IUPAC name.
The common name for the compounds containing one carbon atom, can be called as formic, as it is an aldehyde group, then the common name will be formaldehyde.

Note:
When a carboxylic acid contains one carbon atom in its structure, then the common name will be formic acid, whereas the IUPAC name will be methanoic acid. Similarly the IUPAC name will be methanal and the common will be formaldehyde. Formic acid can be obtained from formats which are ants, as formaldehyde is a derivative of formic acid, this common name is given to methanal.