NAMES, FORMULAE AND CHARGES OF SOME COMMON IONS

POSITIVE IONS (CATIONS)

H+
Li+
Na+
K+
Rb+
Cs+
NH4+

hydrogen
lithium
sodium
potassium
rubidium
caesium
ammonium

Be2+
Mg2+
Ca2+
Sr2+
Ba2+
Zn2+
Cd2+

beryllium
magnesium
calcium
strontium
barium
zinc
cadmium

Ag+
Cu+
Hg22+

silver
copper(I)
mercury(I)

Ni2+
Co2+
Pb2+

nickel
cobalt
lead

Fe2+
Mn2+
Cu2+
Hg2+
Sn2+

iron(II)
manganese(II)
copper(II)
mercury(II)
tin(II)

Al3+
As3+
Sb3+
Bi3+
Fe3+
Cr3+

aluminium
arsenic(III)
antimony(III)
bismuth
iron(III)
chromium(III)

Sn4+

tin(IV)

NEGATIVE IONS (ANIONS)

H
F

Cl

hydride

NO2

fluoride

chloride

ClO

ClO2

bromide

ClO3

iodide

OH

hydroxide

HCO3 hydrogencarbonate
HSO3

HSO4

hydrogensulfite
hydrogensulfate

hypochlorite

Br

CH3CO2 ethanoate (acetate)

nitrite
chlorite

O2
O2
S

oxide

peroxide

sulfide
2

chlorate

CO3

ClO4

perchlorate

C2O42

oxalate

IO4

periodate

SO42

sulfate

BrO3

bromate

SO32

sulfite

MnO4 permanganate

CN

bismuthate

dichromate

Cr2O7
HPO4

chromate

H2PO4dihydrogenphosphate

S2O32

monohydrogenphosphate
thiosulfate

NO3

S2O82

persulfate

nitrate

BiO3

cyanide

CrO4

carbonate

PO4

phosphate

Note: When naming an isolated cation or anion then the name of the ion must be
followed by the word ion, eg Cl-would be written or said as "chloride ion".