Naming Ionic Compounds

Chemical reactions occur when atoms

gain, lose, or share electrons.
Metals Nonmetals

gain / accept electrons.

Nonmetals _____________
This gives them a ____ charge.
_
anions
Negative ions are called ___________.
Metals ________________
lose / donate electrons.
+ charge.
This gives them a ____
cations
Positive ions are called ___________.
 Remember that the charge of an ion can be
determined by its place on the Periodic Table.

+1 +4 0
or
+2 +3 -4 -3 -2 -1

Look for the Roman Numeral!

 For each elements on your notes,
predict the charge of its most
common ion using the periodic table.

-3 0 +2 +2 -1 0
+1 +2 -1 -2 +1 -1
-2 +1 -3 +1 -1 0
 Rules for Naming Ions

When metals lose electrons they become ions,

but their name does not change.

Na Na+ + e -
sodium sodium electron

Mg Mg+2 + 2e -
magnesium magnesium 2 electrons
 Rules for Naming Ions

When nonmetals gain electrons they become

ions, and their name does change.

F + e - F -

fluorine electron fluoride

S + 2e - S -2

sulfur 2 electrons sulfide

 Rules for Naming Ions
1. The names of metals do not change.
2. Changing the name of nonmetals:
root of element name + -ide = name of ion

Examples:
The name of chlorine’s ion:
chlor- + -ide = chloride
The name of nitrogen’s ion:
nitr- + -ide = nitride
Examples of naming ions:
The name of calcium’s ion:
calcium
(The names of metals don’t change!)
The name of oxygen’s ion:
ox- + -ide = oxide
The name of aluminum’s ion:
aluminum
(The names of metals don’t change!)
Write the name of each of the
ions on your notes.
sulfide lithium
nitride bromide
potassium chloride
oxide hydrogen (+), hydride (-)
There are also ions that form after elements
have shared electrons. These ions are known
as polyatomic ions, and each polyatomic ion
already has a name.
 Write the name of each of the
polyatomic ions on your notes using
your reference sheet as a guide.
sulfate carbonate
permanganate sulfite
hydroxide nitrate
Steps for Naming Ionic Compounds

CaBr2
calcium bromide

Step 1: Write the name of the metal ion.

Step 2: Write the name of the nonmetal ion.
Step 3: YOU ARE DONE! It is that easy.
 1. NaF 2. MgO
sodium fluoride magnesium oxide

3. SrCl2 4. Li2S
strontium chloride lithium sulfide

5. CaO 6. KI
calcium oxide potassium iodide
 When polyatomic ions are used, simply use
the name of the polyatomic ion in the
compound.

1. NH4F 2. CaSO4
ammonium fluoride calcium sulfate

3. Mg(NO3)2 4. NaOH
magnesium nitrate sodium hydroxide
Name the ionic compounds that
are found on your notes.
calcium chloride
potassium sulfide
potassium permanganate
barium oxide
ammonium chloride
cesium chloride
magnesium sulfate
sodium bromide
aluminum phosphide
You can also determine the formula of an ionic
compound from its name. To do this, you will need to
use what you already know about the Periodic Table.

magnesium iodide
+2 -
Mg I
MgI2
Step 1: Write the symbol of the metal ion.
Step 2: Write the symbol of the nonmetal ion.
Step 3: Determine the charges using the periodic table.
Step 4: Determine the formula from the ions.
This is just as easy to do with polyatomic ions. You just
need to use the name of the polyatomic ion.

strontium nitrate
+2 -
Sr NO3
Sr(NO3)2
Step 1: Write the symbol of the metal ion.
Step 2: Write the formula of the polyatomic ion.
Step 3: Determine the charges using the periodic table
and the table of polyatomic ions.
Step 4: Determine the formula from the ions.
Be very careful that you do not mix up the names
of ions. This is very common for beginners to
naming.
Decide which name goes with each ion.

-3 nitrate -
N nitride
NO3
-2 sulfide -2
S sulfite
SO3
-3 phosphate -3
P phosphide PO4
 Remember that the names of transition
metals include their charge because their
charges are less predictable.
What are the charges of the transition
metals below:
+2
Iron (II) _______ +3
Iron (III) _______
+2
Copper (II) _______ +1
Copper (I) _______
+4
Tin (IV) _______ +2
Tin (II) _______
+2
Lead (II) _______ +4
Lead (IV) _______
We know they are positive because
metals are always positive.
The charges of the transition metals are important when
you are determining the formula of an ionic compound.
iron (III) oxide
+3 -2
Fe O
Fe2O3
Step 1: Write the symbol of the cation.
Step 2: Write the symbol of the anion.
Step 3: Determine the charges using the periodic table
and the roman numerals.
Step 4: Determine the formula from the ions.
Helpful Hint:
If the ion ends in –ide, it is probably from
the periodic table. If the ion ends in –ate
or –ite, it is a polyatomic ion.
Examples:
sulfate sulfide sulfite

SO4-2 S -2 SO3-2

nitride nitrite nitrate

N-3 NO2- NO3-

Write the formula of each of the ionic
compounds named on your notes.

KI
SnCl4
BaSO4
NaCl
SrS
CuCO3
AlBr3
Li3N
Naming Binary Covalent
Compounds
 shared
electrons
Nonmetals

Chemical reactions occur when atoms gain,

lose, or share electrons.
Sharing electrons creates a covalent bond
Nonmetals can _______
share electrons to
form a covalent bond.
molecule
This creates a ___________.
 Determining if a compound is
ionic or covalent is easy.
What elements do covalent compounds
contain?
Covalent compounds
contain only nonmetals.

What elements do ionic compounds contain?

Ionic compounds
contain a metal and
a nonmetal.
Decide whether the compounds on
your notes are ionic or covalent.

C C I
I C I
 Important Facts:
Because hydrogen only has 1 proton and 1 electron,
it behaves differently than any other element on
the periodic table of elements.
Hydrogen can
donate its 1
H+ electron. H
Hydrogen can 2
share
Hydrogen can
electrons.
gain 1
H- electron.

This means that hydrogen can act as either a

metal or a nonmetal!
 There are 7 elements that exist in nature
as diatomic molecules.
What elements exist as diatomic molecules?
H2, N2, O2, F2, Cl2, Br2, I2
There are millions of covalent compounds. These
can be classified into many different types of
compounds. Each type of compound has a different
set of rules for naming. You will be learning about
the easiest type of covalent compound to name:

Binary Covalent Compounds

What does binary mean? Binary means 2.
Binary covalent compounds are
between 2 different nonmetals.
Nonmetals can share electrons in many different
ways. This means that two nonmetals can create
multiple compounds together.
carbon and oxygen phosphorous and chlorine

CO CO2 PCl3 PCl5

nitrogen and oxygen

N2O4 N2O3
Each of these contains a different ratio of elements.
Because of this, we have to make sure that the name
of the compound explains the correct ratio.
 To show the
correct ratio of
elements, we
use prefixes.
 Steps for Naming
Binary Covalent Compounds
N2O4
dinitrogen
nitrogen tetroxide
oxide

Step 1: Write the name of the first nonmetal.

Step 2: Write the name of the second
nonmetal changing its ending to -ide.
Step 3: Add prefixes to specify how many of
each element are present.
 Rules for Using Prefixes
Rule 1: Prefixes are only for BINARY COVALENT
compounds.
Rule 2: The prefix mono- is never used on the first
element of a binary covalent compound. Without a
prefix it is assumed that there is only 1.
Example: CO2 is carbon dioxide, and
not monocarbon dioxide.

Rule 3: Remove the -o or -a from a prefix before

adding it to oxide.
Example: CO is carbon monoxide,
and not carbon monooxide.
 How would you write each of
the prefixes in front of oxide?
Remember: Remove the -o or -a from a prefix
before adding it to oxide. Leave -i alone.

mono- ____________
monoxide di- ____________
dioxide
trioxide
tri- ____________ tetroxide
tetra- ____________
pentoxide
penta- ____________ hexa- ____________
hexoxide
hepta- ____________
heptoxide octoxide
octa- ____________
nona- ____________
nonoxide deca- ____________
decoxide
Name the binary covalent compounds
that are found on your notes.
carbon dioxide
carbon disulfide
phosphorous tribromide
phosphorous pentabromide
diphosphorous pentasulfide
dinitrogen monosulfide
silicon disulfide
nitrogen tribromide
dinitrogen tetrachloride
 Because of the prefixes, it is very
easy to go from the name of a binary
covalent compound to its formula.
dinitrogen tetrafluoride

N2 F4
Step 1: Write the symbol of the first nonmetal and
the subscript that matches the prefix.
Step 2: Write the symbol of the second nonmetal
and the subscript that matches the prefix.
 Write the formulas of the binary
covalent compounds in your notes.

CCl4 IF7
PCl5 N2O4
N2O PCl3
CS CO
BH3 ICl
S2Br6 S4N4
SiS2 H2O
PI3 ClF5
NCl3 NO2
Naming Ionic and Covalent
Compounds Review
Chemical reactions occur when atoms
gain, lose, or share electrons.
This is what creates compounds!
gain / accept electrons.
Nonmetals _____________
This gives them a ____ charge.
_
anions
Negative ions are called ___________.

Metals ________________
lose / donate electrons.
+ charge.
This gives them a ____
cations
Positive ions are called ___________.
What elements do ionic compounds
contain?
Ionic compounds contain a
metal and a nonmetal.
Nonmetals

Metals
Steps for Naming Ionic Compounds

MgCl2
magnesium chloride

Step 1: Write the name of the metal ion.

Step 2: Write the name of the nonmetal ion.
Remember that we change the name of
nonmetal ions to –ide.

YOU ARE DONE! It is that easy.

 shared
electrons
Nonmetals

Chemical reactions occur when atoms gain,

lose, or share electrons.
Sharing electrons creates a covalent bond
Nonmetals can _______
share electrons to
form a covalent bond.
molecule
This creates a ___________.
What elements do covalent
compounds contain?
Covalent compounds contain
only nonmetals.

Nonmetals
Steps for Naming Covalent Compounds

P2S4
phosphorous tetrasulfide
diphosphorous sulfide

Step 1: Write the name of the first nonmetal.

Step 2: Write the name of the second
nonmetal changing its ending to -ide.
Step 3: Add prefixes to specify how many of
each element are present.
 Rules for Using Prefixes with
Covalent Compounds
Rule 1: Prefixes are only for COVALENT compounds.
Rule 2: The prefix mono- is never used on the first
element of a binary covalent compound. Without a
prefix it is assumed that there is only 1.
Example: PCl3 is phosphorous trichloride,
and not monophosphorous trichloride.

Rule 3: Remove the -o or -a from a prefix before

adding it to oxide.
Example: N2O4 is nitrogen tetroxide,
and not nitrogen tetraoxide.
 Determining if a compound is
ionic or covalent is easy.
What elements do ionic compounds contain?
Ionic compounds
contain a metal and
a nonmetal.

What elements do covalent compounds

contain?
Covalent compounds
contain only nonmetals.
Decide whether the compounds on
your notes are ionic or covalent.

I C I I
C C I I
I C C I
Once you decide if a compound is ionic
or covalent you know whether or not
to use prefixes.
Only COVALENT COMPOUNDS
use PREFIXES!
Do NOT make the mistake of using prefixes
with ionic compounds. You will be forced to
decide between answer choices with and
without prefixes on your exam. Know the
difference!
 Steps for Naming a Compound
Step 1: Decide if the compound is ionic or
covalent.
Step 2: Write the name of the first element as
it appears on the periodic table, change the
name of the second element to end with -ide.
Ionic compounds are finished at this point.
Step 3: If, and only if, the compound is covalent,
add prefixes.
 Remember, if polyatomic ions appear in an
ionic compound, simply use the name of
the ion as it appears in the table of
polyatomic ions.

1. NH4Cl 2. MgSO3
ammonium chloride magnesium sulfite

3. Ca(NO2)2 4. KOH
calcium nitrite potassium hydroxide
Write the names of the compounds
that appear on your notes.
carbon tetrabromide
carbon monosulfide
sodium permanganate
strontium iodide
potassium sulfate
dinitrogen tetrasulfide
magnesium nitrate
silicon tetrachloride
diphosphorous pentoxide
 Determining the Formula of an Ionic
Compound from Its Name
potassium sulfide
+ -2
K S
K2S
Step 1: Write the symbol of the metal ion.
Step 2: Write the symbol of the nonmetal ion.
Step 3: Determine the charges using the periodic table.
Step 4: Determine the formula from the ions.
This is just as easy to do with polyatomic ions. You just
need to use the table of polyatomic ions found on the
naming compounds reference sheet.
barium sulfate
The charges are
+2 -2
Ba SO4 the same, so
they cancel!
BaSO4
Step 1: Write the symbol of the metal ion.
Step 2: Write the formula of the polyatomic ion.
Step 3: Determine the charges using the periodic table
and the table of polyatomic ions.
Step 4: Determine the formula from the ions.
Be very careful that you do not mix up the names
of ions. This is very common for beginners to
naming.
Decide which name goes with each ion.

-2 sulfide -2
S sulfate
SO4
-3 phosphate -3
P phosphide PO4
-3 nitrite -
N nitride
NO2
Remember that the names of
transition metals include their
charge because their charges
are less predictable.
d-block
What are the charges of the
transition metals below:

+4
Tin (IV) _______ +2
Tin (II) _______
+2
Lead (II) _______ +4
Lead (IV) _______
+2
Iron (II) _______ +3
Iron (III) _______
+2
Copper (II) _______ +1
Copper (I) _______
We know they are positive because
metals are always positive.
The charges of the transition metals are important when
you are determining the formula of an ionic compound.
copper (II) nitrate
+2 -
Cu NO3
Cu(NO3)2
Step 1: Write the symbol of the metal ion.
Step 2: Write the symbol of the polyatomic ion.
Step 3: Determine the charges using the periodic table,
polyatomic ions table, or the roman numerals.
Step 4: Determine the formula from the ions.
 Because of the prefixes, it is very
easy to go from the name of a binary
covalent compound to its formula.
dihydrogen monoxide

H2O
Step 1: Write the symbol of the first nonmetal and
the subscript that matches the prefix.
Step 2: Write the symbol of the second nonmetal
and the subscript that matches the prefix.
Remember: The prefix mono- is never
used on the first element of a binary
covalent compound. Without a prefix it
is assumed that there is only 1.

Example: carbon dioxide

CO2
 Write the formulas of the
compounds that appear on your
notes based on their names.
HCl
BaF2
SnS
N2O
CS2
S2Cl6
Na3PO4
PtCl2