Naming Compounds, cations and anions

Elements and symbols that you should know:

Part 1 – The obvious ones:

1) Hydrogen

2) Helium

3) Lithium

4) Beryllium

5) Boron

6) Carbon

7) Nitrogen

8) Oxygen

9) Fluorine

10)Neon

11)Magnesium

12)Aluminium

13)Silicon

14)Phosphorus

H

He

Li

Be

B

C

N

O

F

Ne

Mg

Al

Si

P

Some more obvious ones:15)Sulphur

16)Chlorine

17)Argon

18) Calcium

19) Zinc

The less obvious ones:1) Sodium

2) Potassium

3) Iron

4) Copper

5) Silver

6) Tin

7) Gold

8) Mercury

9) Lead

S

Cl

Ar

Ca

Zn

Na

K

Fe

Cu

Ag

Sn

Au

Hg

Pb

Polyatomic ions (-1 charge)

• H2PO4 DiHydrogen phosphate• C2H3O2 Acetate• HSO3 Hydrogen Sulfite• HCO3 Hydrogen Carbonate• NO2 Nitrite• NO3 Nitrate• CN Cyanide• OH Hydroxide• MnO4 Permanganate• ClO Hypochlorite• ClO2 Chlorite• ClO3 Chlorate• ClO4 Perchlorate

Polyatomic ions (-2 charge)

• HPO4 Hydrogen Phosphate• C2O4 Oxalate• SO3 Sulfite• SO4 Sulfate• CO3 Carbonate• CrO4 Chromate• Cr2O7 Dichromate• SiO3 Silicate

Polyatomic ions (-3 charge)

• PO3 Phosphite

• PO4 Phosphate

Rule 1– If two identical elements combine then the name doesn’t change

This happens with the following elements:

1) H2

2) N2

3) O2

4) F2

5) Cl2

6) Br2

These elements always go around in pairs (diatomic molecules). For example, hydrogen looks like this:

Rule 2 – When two elements join and one is a halogen, oxygen or sulphur the name ends with

____ide

e.g. Magnesium + oxygen magnesium oxide

1) Sodium + chlorine

2) Magnesium + fluorine

3) Lithium + iodine

4) Chlorine + copper

5) Oxygen + iron

6) KBr

7) LiCl

8) CaO

9) MgS

10)KF

Rule 3 – When three or more elements combine and two of them are hydrogen and oxygen the name ends

with hydroxide

e.g. Sodium + hydrogen + oxygen Sodium hydroxide

1) Potassium + hydrogen + oxygen

2) Lithium + hydrogen + oxygen

3) Calcium + hydrogen + oxygen

4) Mg(OH)2

Rule 4 – When three or more elements combine and one of them is oxygen the ending is _____ate

e.g. Copper + sulphur + oxygenCopper sulphate

1) Calcium + carbon + oxygen

2) Potassium + carbon + oxygen

3) Calcium + sulphur + oxygen

4) Magnesium + chlorine + oxygen

5) Calcium + oxygen + nitrogen

6) AgNO3

7) H2SO4

8) K2CO3

Covalent formulae Ionic formulae

H2O

CO2

NH3

H2

O2

N2

SO2

Water

Carbon dioxide

Ammonia

Hydrogen

Oxygen

Nitrogen

Sulphur dioxide

NaCl

CaCl2

MgO

HCl

H2SO4

HNO3

NaOH

Ca(OH)2

CaCO3

Al2O3

Fe2O3

Sodium chloride

Calcium chloride

Magnesium oxide

Hydrochloric acid

Sulphuric acid

Nitric acid

Sodium hydroxide

Calcium hydroxide

Calcium carbonate

Aluminium oxide

Iron oxide

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