Symbol

H+
Li+
Na+
K+
Rb+
Cs+
Be2+
Mg2+
Ca2+
Sr2+
Ba2+
Ra2+
Zn2+
Symbol
Cu+
Cu2+
Fe2+
Fe3+
Sn2+
Sn4+
Cr2+
Cr3+
Mn2+
Mn3+

Symbols and Charges for Monoatomic Ions

Name
Symbol
Name
hydrogen ion
H
hydride
lithium ion
F
fluoride
Note that the
sodium ion
Cl
chloride
letters in an ions
potassium ion
Br
bromide
name before the
rubidium ion
I
iodide
-ide ending is
2
cesium ion
O
oxide
the stem. For
2
beryllium ion
S
sulfide
example, the stem
magnesium ion
Se2
selenide
for bromide is
calcium ion
Te2
telluride
brom-.
strontium ion
barium ion
Ag +
silver ion
N 3
nitride
radium ion
Ni2+
nickel ion
P 3
phosphide
3+
3
zinc ion
Al
aluminum ion
As
arsenide
Systematic name
(Stock system)
copper(I)
copper(II)
iron(II)
iron(III)
tin(II)
tin(IV)
chromium(II)
chromium(III)
manganese(II)
manganese(III)

Common
name
cuprous
cupric
ferrous
ferric
stannous
stannic
chromous
chromic
manganous
manganic

Symbol
Hg22+
Hg2+
Pb2+
Pb4+
Co2+
Co3+
Au +
Au 3+

Systematic name
(Stock system)
mercury(I)
mercury(II)
lead(II)
lead(IV)
cobalt(II)
cobalt(III)
gold(I)
gold(III)

Common
name
mercurous
mercuric
plumbous
plumbic
cobaltous
cobaltic
aurous
auric

Formula
NO3
NO2
CrO42
Cr2O72
CN
MnO 4
OH
O22
NH2
CO32

Symbols and Charges for Polyatomic Ions

Name
Formula
Name
nitrate
ClO4
perchlorate
nitrite
ClO3
chlorate
chromate
ClO2
chlorite
dichromate
ClO
hypochlorite
cyanide
IO 4
periodate
permanganate
IO 3
iodate
hydroxide
IO
hypoiodite
peroxide
BrO3
bromate
amide
BrO
hypobromite
carbonate
HCO3
hydrogen carbonate (bicarbonate)

SO42
SO32
C2O42
PO43
PO33

sulfate
sulfite
oxalate
phosphate
phosphite

HSO4
HSO3
HC2O4
HPO42
H2PO4

hydrogen sulfate (bisulfate)

hydrogen sulfite (bisulfite)
hydrogen oxalate (binoxalate)
hydrogen phosphate
dihydrogen phosphate

S2O32
AsO43
SeO42
SiO32
C4H4O62
C2H3O2

More Symbols and Charges for Polyatomic Ions

thiosulfate
HS
hydrogen sulfide
arsenate
BO33
borate
2
selenate
B4O7
tetraborate
silicate
SiF62
hexafluorosilicate
tartrate
SCN
thiocyanate
acetate (an alternate way to write acetate is CH3COO)

There is one positive polyatomic ion. It is NH4+ and is called the ammonium ion.
Prefixes Used to Indicate Number in a Name Involving Two Non-Metals
mono
1
hexa
6
di
2
hepta
7
tri
3
octa
8
tetra
4
nona
9
penta
5
deca
10
These prefixes are used in naming binary compounds involving two nonmetals. Example
include P2O5, Cl2O, NO, N2O, NO2, N2O5, PCl3, PCl5, SO2, SO3, SiO2. Sometimes metal ions are
involved in a Greek prefix name, but these are less common. Examples include UF6, SbCl3,
SbCl5, OsO4, BiCl3.
There is a preferred order of the nonmetals when writing them in a formula. It is:
Rn, Xe, Kr, B, Si, C, Sb, As, P, N, H, Te, Se, S, I, Br, Cl, O, F.
CO is carbon monoxide, NOT carbon monooxide. As4O6 is tetrarsenic hexoxide, NOT
tetraarsenic hexaoxide.
Acid Names add the word acid to each name when saying or writing.
Nonoxygen containing
Oxygen containing (oxyacids)
Name when disName when a pure
Formula
solved in water
compound
Formula
Name
HF
hydrofluoric acid
hydrogen fluoride
HNO3
nitric acid
HCl
hydrochloric acid
hydrogen chloride
HNO2
nitrous acid
HBr
hydrobromic acid
hydrogen bromide
H2SO4
sulfuric acid
HI
hydroiodic acid
hydrogen iodide
H2SO3
sulfurous acid
HCN
hydrocyanic acid
hydrogen cyanide
H3PO4
phosphoric acid
H2S
hydrosulfuic acid
hydrogen sulfide
H2CO3
carbonic acid
HC2H3O2
acetic acid
(Note that it is hydrogen sulfide, NOT hydrogen sulfuride.)
(also written CH3COOH)