Learning Naming through Guided Inquiry

Binary Ionic Compounds

Compound Formula Metal Element Non-Metal Element Compound Name

MgCl2 magnesium chlorine magnesium chloride
KBr potassium bromine potassium bromide
Al2S3 aluminum sulfur aluminum sulfide
Ca3P2 calcium phosphorous calcium phosphide
Na2O sodium oxygen sodium oxide

1. Which element is always written first in an ionic compound – the metal or the non-metal element?

Metal

2. Compare the names of the metal elements by themselves to their names what they are part of a
compound. Do they change? If yes, how do they change?

No the metal name does not change. It stays the same.

3. Compare the names of the non-metal elements by themselves to their names what they are part
of a compound. Do they change? If yes, how do they change?

The non-metal changes its ending to IDE

4. Is there anything in the compound names that indicate what the subscripts in the formulas are?

No there is nothing in the name indicating the subscripts

Summarize The “Rules” you have learned

Binary Ionic Compound = simplest ionic compound

 Metal named first (NOT MULTIVALENT)

 Non-metal named second and ending with IDE
 No prefixes or roman numerals
Look Up the Ionic charges on your periodic table the answer the questions below

Compound Name Metal Ionic Charge Non-Metal Ion Compound Formula

Charge
magnesium chloride Mg 2+ Cl 1- MgCl2
potassium bromide K 1+ Br 1- KBr
aluminum sulfide Al 3+ S 2- Al2S3
calcium phosphide Ca 2+ P 3- Ca3P2
sodium oxide Na 1+ O 2- Na2O
calcium oxide Ca 2+ O 2- CaO
zirconium sulfide Zr 4+ S 2- ZrO2

1. What is common for all the metal ionic charges? What is common for all the non-metal charges?

Metals = Positive ion (lost electrons)

Non-metal = negative ion (gained electrons)

2. Compare the ionic charge of each ion, to the subscripts in the Formula. Do you Notice a pattern?

The subscripts appear to “criss cross”

3. What happens to the “1” subscripts?

A number one is not written because it is implied (ex. 1X is simply X or 2/1 is simply 1)

4. When the two subscripts are the same or can be reduced?

Ionic compounds form the simplest ratio that satisfies their electron exchange, therefore the
subscripts must be reduced.

5. Can you explain your answer to question 4 using atomic theory?

Zirconium sulfide is NOT Zr2S4 This is because Zr needs to give away 4 electrons and since Sulfur each
want 2 electrons the simplest ratio that works is ZrO2

CYU 7.3 #1-2

 Formula Assignment #1
Ionic Compound Names and Formulas
Elements with ONE Combining Capacity ONLY

A. Name the compounds.

1. Li2S ___lithium sulphide_____ 10. GeF4 ____germanium fluoride_____

2. CaO ____calcium oxide______ 11. Ga2O3 ____gallium oxide___

3. NaF _____sodium fluoride______ 12. CsCl ___cesium chloride_____

4. CaBr2 ____calcium bromide________ 13. Be3P2 ____beryllium phosphide____

5. MgCl2 ____magnesium chloride______ 14. Mg3N2 ____magnesium nitride____

6. SrBr2 ____strontium bromide____ 15. Rb2O ____rubidium oxide____

7. Cs2O ___cesium oxide_____ 16. RaO ____radium oxide____

8. FrBr _____francium bromide____ 17. SrO ___strontium oxide____

9. Ag2S ____silver sulphide_____ 18. Tc2O7 ___technitium oxide____

B. Write the correct chemical formula for these compounds by using the cross rule.

1. sodium chloride __NaCl___ 11. hydrogen iodide ___HI____

2. magnesium fluoride ___MgF2__ 12. francium nitride ____Fr3N____

3. silver oxide ___Ag2O___ 13. rubidium phosphide ___Rb3P___

4. indium bromide ___InBr3__ 14. potassium oxide ___K2O___

5. zinc bromide ____ZnBr2____ 15. beryllium sulphide ___BeS____

6. neodymium oxide ____Nd2O3__ 16. lithium sulphide ____Li2S____

7. thorium sulphide ____ThS2____ 17. hydrogen bromide ____HBr____

8. actinium oxide ___Ac2O3____ 18. strontium nitride ___Sr3N2_____

9. radium bromide ____RaBr2____ 19. calcium oxide ____CaO_____

10. cesium oxide ____Cs2O______ 20. tantalum nitride _____Ta3N5___

Ionic Compounds with Multivalent Elements

Compound Formula Metal Element Non-Metal Element Compound Name

FeO iron 3+ or 2+ Oxygen 2- iron (II) oxide
Fe2O3 Iron 3+ or 2+ Oxygen 2- iron (III) oxide
TiCl4 Titanium 4+ or 3+ Chloride 1- titanium (IV) chloride
TiCl3 Titanium 4+ or 3+ Chloride 1- titanium (III) chloride
Al2S3 Aluminum 3+ only Sulphur 2- aluminum sulphide

1. Do you think that the roman numerals relate to the metal or non-metal element? Why?

The roman numerals appear to be related to the metal and not the non-metal. They tell you which ion the
metal is forming. I think this because they correspond with the ion possible charges of the metals

2. Do the roman numerals relate to the metals subscript or its ion charge (combining capacity) ?

The roman numeral is NOT related to the subscript (how many of that atom are in the molecule)

The roman numeral is indicating it ION CHARGE or C.C. (combining capacity)

3. Which metals on the periodic table have only one combining capacity? (2 families and 3 others)

Alkali Metals, Alkaline Earth Metals, Aluminum, Zinc and Silver

*** Your periodic table does not show ALL the potential c.c. just the most common ones. So unless the
metal is in the above list, you must indicate its cc with roman numerals.

4. Why do you think that there is no roman numerals in the last name?

Because non-metals have only one cc.

Summarize The “Rules” you have learned for naming multivalent ionic compounds

Unless the metal is in the first 2 families or Al, Zn, Ag, you must indicate its cc in its name by using a
roman numeral.

To determine the C.C. you must WORK BACKWARDS using the criss-cross method.

Ex. FeO  Fe (3+ or 2+) and O is 2- Fe 2O3 Fe (3+ or 2+) and O is 2-

Fe2O2 reduces to FeO Fe2O3

Iron (II) oxide Iron (III) oxide
 Fill in the blanks in the table:

Compound Name Metal Ionic Non-Metal Ion Compound Formula

Charge Charge
iron (II) oxide 2+ 2- FeO
iron (III) oxide 3+ 2- Fe2O3
titanium (IV) chloride 4+ 1- TiCl4
titanium (III) chloride 3+ 1- TiCl3
aluminum sulphide 3+ (on periodic) 2- Al2S3

1. How is the metals ionic charge related to the roman numeral in the name?

The roman numeral in the name tell me the ionic charge *** otherwise from the name, I would not know
the cc and therefore would not know the exact compound formula

2. How do you know which ion the metal forms when it is multivalent?

The roman numeral in the name tells me, or I can work backwards from the formula to determine it

3. Compare the ionic charge of each ion, to the subscripts in the Formula. What is the relationship?

The ionic charge or cc tells me the subscripts for the formula using the criss cross method and
reducing

4. Do you write a roman numeral after the metals name if it is not multivalent?

No but this is only true for the first two families, or Al, Zn, Ag, otherwise you must indicate its cc in its
name by using a roman numeral.

5. Summarize how to write multivalent ionic compound formulas from their names?

Other than the first three families, or Al, Zn, Ag, otherwise you must indicate the cc of the metal in its
name by using a roman numeral. This can be determined working backwards through the criss cross

CYU 7.3 #3
 Formula Assignment #2
Ionic Compound Names and Formulas
Elements with TWO OR MORE Combining Capacities

A. Write the correct formula for the following compounds, all of which have been named using the modern
Roman Numeral Method. The combining capacity is given after the first element in Roman Numerals.

1. copper (II) oxide _____CuO_____ 11. manganese (III) oxide ____Mn2O3____

2. mercury (I) oxide _____Hg2O____ 12. vanadium (IV) bromide ____VBr4____

3. gold (III) chloride _____AuCl3_____ 13. plutonium(VI) oxide _____PuO3____

4. thallium (III) bromide ____TlBr3___ 14. titanium (III) oxide ____Ti2O3_____

5. bismuth (V) oxide ______Bi2O5_____ 15. titanium (III) nitride _____TiN_____

6. rhenium (IV) oxide _____ReO2_____ 16. iron (II) oxide _______FeO_______

7. uranium (VI) oxide _____UO3____ 17. cobalt (II) phosphide ____Co3P2____

8. platinum (II) bromide ___PtBr2____ 18. tin (II) oxide _______SnO______

9. chromium (III) oxide ____Cr2O3____ 19. thallium (I) bromide _____TlBr_____

10. lead (II) sulphide ____PbS____ 20. copper (II) bromide ____CuBr2_____

B. Determine the combining capacity of the first element by using the reverse cross rule. Name the compound
using the Roman Numeral Method.

1. SnCl4 ____tin (IV) chloride____ 9. PdF4 ___palladium (IV) fluoride_______

2. BiBr5 ____bismuth (V) bromide______ 10. Ru2O3 ___ruthenium (III) oxide_____

3. PoO2 ____polonium (IV) oxide______ 11. MoBr2 ___molybdenum (II) bromide_____

4. PbI2 ____lead (II) iodide______ 12. VCl5 ___vanadium (V) chloride_____

5. HgO _____mercury (II) oxide______ 13. Mn2O3 ____manganese (III) chloride___

6. HgCl ____mercury (I) chloride____ 14. CoO ____cobalt (II) oxide____

7. Au2O3 ____gold (III) oxide_____ 15. Nb2O3 ____niobium (III) oxide______

8. FeCl2 ____iron (II) chloride______ 16. V2O5 ____vanadium (V) oxide_______

 Ionic Compounds with Polyatomic Ions
Polyatomic ions are groups of atoms already bonded together that act as a single ion. There is a list of
many of the common polyatomic ions in your data booklets.

Compound Formula Cation Anion Compound Name

NH4Cl ammonium chlorine ammonium chloride
Na2CO3 sodium carbonate sodium carbonate
KOH potassium hydroxide potassium hydroxide
Ca3(PO4)2 calcium phosphate calcium phosphate
Al2(SO4)3 aluminum sulphate aluminum sulphate

1. Which is always written first in an ionic compound – the anion (-) or the cation (+)?

The Cation

2. Compare the names of the polyatomic ions by themselves to their names in the compound. Do
they change? If yes, how do they change?

They don’t end with ide anymore, now they end with ate, ite, ide, …. But I can look them up on the back
of the periodic table

3. Compare the names of the non-polyatomic ions by themselves to their names in the compound. Do
they change? If yes, how do they change?

They are the same as they were before in naming

4. Is there anything in the compound names that indicate what the subscripts in the formulas are?

No. There are no roman numerals because they are not multivalent. The cc is known and I can look them
up on the list

Summarize The “Rules” you have learned

Name the cation before the anion

Look up the name for the polyatomic ions on the back of the table

No roman numerals since they are not multivalent

Complete the table below:

Compound Name Cation Ionic Charge Anion Ionic Charge Compound Formula
ammonium chloride 1+ 1- NH4Cl
sodium carbonate Na2CO3
potassium hydroxide KOH
calcium phosphate Ca3(PO4)2
aluminum sulphate Al2(SO4)3

1. What is common for all the cation ionic charges? What is common for all the anion charges?

Cations are positive Anions are negative

2. Compare the ionic charge of each ion, to the subscripts in the Formula. Do you Notice a pattern?

It is using the criss cross rule like before, but I need to make sure I put a bracket around the
polyatomic ion first.

I can still reduce.

3. How many oxygen atoms are in the compound sodium carbonate? How many oxygen atoms are in
the aluminum sulphate compound?

There are 3 oxygen in the sodium carbonate compound

There are 12 oxygen in the aluminum sulphate compound (3 sulphate polyatomic ions with 4 O each)

4. Why are the brackets important in the last two compound formulas?

The subscript outside the bracket is telling how many of the polyatomic ion are in the compound so it
needs a bracket

5. Can you explain your answer to question 4 using atomic theory?

The group of atoms that make up the polyatomic ion can either gain or lose electrons as a group but
are attached to each other so they “travel” as a group

CYU 7.3 #4-5

 Formula Assignment #4
Ionic Compounds with Polyatomic Ions

A. Write correct formula for these compounds.

1. ammonium hypochlorite ____NH4ClO___ 11. gold (III) hydroxide ____Au(OH)3____

2. sodium chlorate __NaClO3_____ 12. sodium carbonate ___Na2CO3____

3. sodium sulphate ____Na2SO4_____ 13. calcium hydrogen carbonate __Ca(HCO3)2__

4. potassium sulphite ____K2SO3_____ 14. ammonium dichromate ___(NH4)2Cr2O7____

5. calcium phosphate ___Ca3(PO4)2__ 15. ammonium carbonate ____(NH4)2CO3____

6. calcium hydroxide ____Ca(OH)2___ 16. ammonium sulphate ___(NH4)2SO4_____

7. iron (III) hydroxide ___Fe(OH)3______ 17. lithium phosphate ____Li3PO4_____

8. copper (II) sulphate ___CuSO4____ 18. iron (III) sulphate _____Fe2(SO4)3_______

9. sodium chlorite ___NaClO2___ 19. potassium hydroxide ___KOH_____

10. lithium chlorate ____LiClO3____ 20. ammonium hydroxide _____NH4OH______

B. Name the following compounds.

1. CaCO3 _____calcium carbonate______ 11. Zn(OH)2 ____zinc hydroxide____

2. NaHCO3 _sodium hydrogen carbonate___ 12. Ca(OH)2 ____calcium hydroxide______

3. NH4OH ___ammonium hydroxide_____ 13. Cr(OH)3 ____chromium (III) hydroxide___

4. H2SO4 _____hydrogen sulphate______ 14. Ca(ClO3)2 ____calcium chlorate_____

5. NaNO3 ___sodium nitrate_______ 15. Pb3(PO4)2 _____lead (II) phosphate______

6. Fe2(CO3)3 ___iron (III) carbonate____ 16. BaCO3 _____barium carbonate_______

7. Al2(SO4)3 ____aluminum sulphate____ 17. Be(OH)2 ____beryllium hydroxide____

8. (NH4)3PO4 ___ammonium phosphate__ 18. Li3PO4 ____lithium phosphate____

9. Ca(NO3)2 ___calcium nitrate____ 19. FeCO3 _____iron (II) carbonate_____

10. Li2CO3 ____lithium carbonate___ 20. H3PO4 ____hydrogen phosphate_____

Molecular Compounds – formulas and naming
Complete the table below

Compound first Element second Element Compound Name

Formula
CO2 carbon oxygen carbon dioxide
CO Carbon Oxygen carbon monoxide
SO3 Sulphur Oxygen sulfur trioxide
N2O4 Nitrogen Oxygen dinitrogen tetraoxide
Cl2O Chlorine oxygen dichlorine monoxide
1. What is different about the first element in molecular compounds compared to ionic compounds?

There are prefix in the names and they are Non-metals

2. Is there a relationship between ionic charges (combining capacities) and the number of each
atom in molecular compounds?

NO NO NO. These are NOT ionic compounds therefore NO ions forms and how they combine has
NOTHING to do with cc. / ionic chages

3. What is the pattern you observe for the suffix (end) of the first element and second element
names?

The first element ends as usual, and the second element ends with ide

4. What is the pattern you observe for the prefix of the element names? Is there a difference for
the first name compared to the second name?

The prefix corresponds to the subscript on that element and is included for both elements however
MONO is not used on the first element

5. Summarize how to write molecular compound formulas from their names?

Covalent compounds do NOT form Ions therefore the ionic charge has no relevance. Also there is no
criss cross rules or reduction rules. The prefix tells you how many of each atom are in the molecule.
 Complete the table below

Compound Name number of atoms number of atoms Compound Formula

of first element or second element
carbon dioxide 1 2 CO2
carbon monoxide 1 1 CO
sulfur trioxide 1 3 SO3
dinitrogen tetraoxide 2 4 N2O4
dichlorine monoxide 2 1 Cl2O

1. What is different about the first element in molecular compounds compared to ionic compounds?

These are non-metals ! This is how you know it is covalent and not ionic!

2. Is there a relationship between ionic charges (combining capacities) and the number of each
atom in molecular compounds?

No No No. These are covalent and are sharing electrons not forming ions

3. What is the pattern you observe for the suffix of the first element and second element names?

The suffix is just like in ionic compounds in that the first element stays the same and the second ends
with ide.

4. What is the pattern you observe for the prefix of the element names? Is there a difference for
the first name compared to the second name?

The prefix corresponds to the subscript on that element and is included for both elements however
MONO is not used on the first element

5. Summarize how to write molecular compound formulas from their names?

Two NON-Metals

No ionic charges, No criss cross, No reducing

Prefix matches the subscript and second ends with ide

CYU 7.4 #1
 Formula Assignment #5
Covalent Compounds

Prefixes and their meanings:

mono– = 1, di– or bi– = 2, tri– = 3, tetra– = 4, penta– = 5,
hexa– = 6, hepta– = 7, octo– = 8, nona– = 9, deca– = 10

A. Write the correct chemical formula for these compounds. The prefix in front of the element indicates how many
of that atom will be in the compound.

DO NOT USE THE CROSS RULE FOR THESE COMPOUNDS.

1. carbon monoxide ______CO_________ 11. aluminum trichloride _____AlCl3____

2. carbon tetrachloride ___CCl4__________ 12. carbon tetraiodide ____CI4__

3. dihydrogen monoxide ____H2O_____ 13. boron trichloride_____BCl3_____

4. sulphur dioxide ____SO2___ 14. carbon tetrafluoride ____CF4___

5. sulphur trioxide _____ SO3_____ 15. aluminum tribromide _____AlBr3____

6. diphosphorous trioxide ___P2O3____ 16. selenium trioxide ____SeO3_____

7. carbon tetrafluoride ____CF4____ 17. nitrogen trifluoride ____NF3____

8. silicon dioxide _______SiO2______ 18. sulphur dichloride ____SCl2_____

9. dihydrogen dioxide ____H2O2____ 19. nitrogen dioxide _____NO2_____

10. selenium trioxide _____SeO3_____ 20. dinitrogen tetroxide ____N2O4____

B. The following elements exist in nature as diatomic molecules (2 atoms per molecule). Write the formula for
each of these elements.

1. hydrogen gas _____H2__________ 5. fluorine gas _____F2______

2. chlorine gas ______Cl2_____ 6. bromine gas ______Br2_______

3. nitrogen gas _____N2___ 7. iodine solid ____I2______

4. oxygen gas _____O2_______

Naming Summary
IONIC COVALENT / MOLECULAR
What is
happening
atomically Transfer of Electrons to either Empty or Fill Share electrons to satisfy the octet rule
the Valence Shell = more stable (2 for Hydrogen)

Bohr Models

Rules for
Naming Metal (c.c. if multivalent) Non-Metal Ide Prefix Non-metal Prefix Nonmetal-ide

To determine the multivalent, must work Prefix – matches subscript

backwards from the formula
*No Mono on the first element
Only Family 1, Family 2, Family 3 and Al, Zn,
Ag are not multivalent metals

Writing
Formula If multivalent look to bracket to determine cc Look at the prefix of each element to
Rules determine the subscript
Criss Cross and reduce
Never Simplify
Place bracket around Polyatomic Ions

Watch Out ** Never look at ionic charge because does

Polyatomic ions generally do not end in ide. not become the ion

There is a list of them on the back of your Never simplify the subscripts
periodic table

Sub-types Acids * Bases Salts Organic * Inorganic

Neither H+ Carbon with Can contain C but

Description H+ and ___- __ and OH- or OH- attached Hydrogens not bothe C and H
and often O

Extension As outlined As outlined There is an entire As outlined above

Naming learning if above above unit on Organic
you can name Chemistry in Chem
acids 11/12

Formula Assignment #6
 Summary

A. Write correct formula for these compounds.

1. boron chloride _____BCl3______ 11. magnesium carbonate ___MgCO3__

2. aluminum hydroxide ____Al(OH)3____ 12. calcium hydroxide _____Ca(OH)2_____

3. silver sulphide ____Ag2S____ 13. cesium sulphide ______CsS2_____

4. iron (II) iodide ______FeI2______ 14. carbon tetrachloride ____CCl4_____

5. copper (I) oxide _____Cu2O______ 15. hydrogen gas ______H2_______

6. tin (IV) nitrate ____Sn(NO3)4_____ 16. carbon disulphide ____CS2____

7. zinc bromide _____ZnBr2_______ 17. beryllium nitrate ____Be(NO3)2_____

8. nickel (III) oxide ____Ni2O3_____ 18. sodium hydrogen carbonate __NaHCO3___

9. ruthenium (III) phosphide ___RuP____ 19. water _______H2O___________

10. titanium (IV) oxide ____TiO2____ 20. tungsten oxide ______WO3____

B. Name the following compounds correctly.

1. H2O ____dihydrogen monoxide_____ 11. Al2O3 ____aluminum oxide_____

2. PbI2 ____lead (II) iodide____ 12. CO ____carbon monoxide______

3. MgCl2 _____magnesium chloride____ 13. SiO2 ____silicon dioxide___

4. Na2O ____sodium oxide_____ 14. NO2 ____nitrogen dioxide_____

5. HgCl2 ____mercury (II) chloride_____ 15. H2SO4 ____hydrogen sulphate_____

6. Ag2O ______silver oxide___ 16. NaClO3 _____sodium chlorate_____

7. Na3PO4 _____sodium phosphate___ 17. AuCl3 ____gold (III) chloride______

8. CaCO3_____calcium carbonate______ 18. BiCl5 _____bismuth chloride__

9. FeCO3 ____iron (II) carbonate____ 19. Rb3N _____rubidium nitride____

10. YBr3 ____yttrium bromide______ 20. Ba(NO3)2 ____barium nitrate_____

IONIC Acids, Bases, and Salts

  An Arrhenius acid is defined as any compound that dissociates in aqueous solution to form
_____H+_______ ions.
HNO3 H+ + NO3

HCl (aq)  ___H+ + Cl - _____________________

 An Arrhenius base is defined as any compound that dissociates in aqueous solution to form _
___OH-___ ions.
KOH (aq) K+ (aq) + OH- (aq)

NaOH (aq) __Na + + OH-______________________

 Salts are compounds that dissociate in aqueous solution releasing neither __H+_______ ions nor
______OH-______ ions.
KCl (aq)  K+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)

NaCl (aq)  ____Na + + Cl - ____________________

COVALENT Organic Compounds or Molecules

Molecules associated with living organisms are organic. These include nucleic acids, fats, sugars, proteins,
enzymes, and hydrocarbon fuels. All organic molecules contain __carbon__, nearly all contain _hydogen___,
and many also contain __oxygen_.

COVALENT Inorganic Compounds

Inorganics include salts, metals, substances made from single elements and any other compounds that don't
contain ____carbon attached to hydrogen_____. Some inorganic molecules do, in fact, contain carbon.

Using the Arrhenius definition, classify the following examples as acids, bases, or salts:

HBr ionic acid KCl ionic salt Mg(OH)2 ionic base

C12H22O11 organic covalent H3PO4 ionic acid CO2 inorganic covalent

HCl ionic acid C2H6O covalent organic HClO ionic acid

KNO2 ionic salt Al(OH)3 ionic base CH4_organic covalent

HFO4 ionic acid KC2H3O2 organic covalent

Ba(OH)2 ionic base NaCl ionic salt

Extension: Naming Acids – Ask me for the sheets if you are interested.