Writing

Formulas and
Naming
Compounds
 Oxidation Numbers
 Tellsus how many electrons an has
gained, lost, or shared to become
stable
 Determined by the charge of the
ion
 Transition elements have more
than one oxidation number
Expressed in Roman numerals
Copper (II) = Cu+2
 Neutral Compound
Compounds want to be
neutral.
The total positive charges
must equal the total negative
charges.
The charges cancel out.
 Binary Ionic Compound
 Compound made of 2 elements
 A metal and a nonmetal
Writing Binary Ionic Compo
unds
1. Write the symbol of the element that
has a positive charge or oxidation
number. (Hint: The element is a
metal.)
2. Write the symbol of the element with
the negative charge of oxidation
number. (Hint: The element is a
nonmetal.)
3. The charge (without the sign) of one
ion becomes the subscript of the
other ion.
4. Reduce subscripts to the smallest
whole numbers that keep the ration of
ions.
Practice!
1. Na and Cl
2. Ba and F
3. K and S
4. Al and I
5. Ag and O
6. Mg and P
7. Pb and O
8. Fe and O
9. Li and Br
10. Zn and S
 Writing Binary Compound
Names
1. Write the name of the positive ion.
(Hint: This is a metal.)
2. If the ion has multiple
charges/oxidation numbers,
determine which oxidation number is
being used.
1. Keep in mind the overall charge is zero
and the negative ion has only one charge.
2. Write the charge of the positive ion using
roman numerals in parentheses after the
ion’s name.
3. If the positive ion only has one possible
oxidation number, go to step 3.
 Writing Binary Compound
Names

3. Write the root name of the

negative ion. The root is the first
part of the element’s name.

4. Add the ending –ide to the root.

 BASIC RULES for BINARY
compounds
 First element is written/named 1st
 uses the full element name

C  carbon K  potassium
 Second element is written/named 2nd
 uses the root of the name and ends in
–ide
chlorine  chloride oxygen 
oxide
Here are all the prefixes…

1 – mono 6 – hexa
2 – di 7 – hepta
3 – tri 8 – octa
4 – tetra 9 – nona
5 – penta 10 – deca
Binary Molecular
NAMING COMPOUNDS
 Use PREFIXES to indicate the number of atoms of each element
 Prefix is typically omitted on the first element if it is only one atom

 CCl4
 N2O
 PF3
 SiO2
 H2O
 Binary Molecular
 WRITING FORMULAS
 Use the compound name to write the formula with the
correct symbols and the appropriate subscripts
■ sulfur dioxide
■ silicon tetrafluoride
■ triphosphorus dioxide
■ nitrogen trihydride
■ dicarbon hexahydride
Element Name -ide Ending

Oxygen Oxide

Phosphorous Phosphide

Nitrogen Nitride

Sulfur Sulfide
Ionic Charges
Group 1  1+ (often just +)

Group 2  2+

Group 13  3+

Group 14  4+/-
 Ionic Charges
Group 15  3-

Group 16  2-

Group 17  1- (often just -)

Group 18  No ion forms

Transition Metal Ion
Charges
Ag+ Fe2+ and Fe3+
Cu+ and Cu2+ Co2+ and Co3+
Zn 2+
Cr2+ and Cr3+
Hg2+ and Hg22+
Mn2+ and Mn3+
Ni2+ and Ni3+
Transition Metal Ion
Charges

Pb2+ and Pb4+

Sn2+ and Sn4+
 Binary Ionic
 NAMING COMPOUNDS
 If the first element has only one charge
Use the standard naming rules
KBr
Ag3N
AlCl3
Zn2C
Mg3P2
 Binary Ionic
NAMING COMPOUNDS
Ifthe first element has variable
charges
Include a Roman numeral after the
cation name to indicate which ion
charge it has
FeCl
3
CuO
Pb N
3 2
MnBr
3
Sn C
2
 IMPORTANT!
When an ionic compound
is formed, the sum of the
ion charges must equal
ZERO
Na+ + O2- ≠ NaO b/c 1+ + 2- = 1-
Na+ + Na+ + O2- = Na2O b/c 1+ + 1+ + 2- =0
Are you ready for the
shortcut?
The criss-cross method allows
you to easily back-determine
ionic charges…
3 2
Al O
3+ 2-

Al O
Let’s see if you’ve got it…
Li and Br 
Mg and Cl 
K and N 
Al and O 
Binary Ionic
WRITING FORMULAS
If the first element has only one charge
lithium fluoride
strontium sulfide
barium nitride
beryllium bromide
aluminum oxide
Binary Ionic
WRITING FORMULAS
If the first element has variable charge
iron(III)nitride
tin(IV) chloride
nickel(III) sulfide
mercury(II) fluoride
copper(I) phosphide
 Exercise!
1. BaCl2
2. NaF
3. Al2O3
4. K2S
5. CaO
6. Ba3P2
7. Na2O
8. BeS
9. LiF
10. MgCl2
Polyatomic Ions
 A positively or negatively charged
covalently bonded group of atoms
 Contains 2 or more elements
 Writing Names
1. Write the name of the positive ion.
2. Write the name of the negative ion. Do not
change the name of the polyatomic ion.
 Writing Formulas
1. Follow the rules for binary compounds,
except that parentheses are around the
polyatomic ion before adding the
subscript.
Polyatomic Ions
Consist of 2 or more
nonmetals that, as a unit,
have a charge
Most commonly anions
Exception is ammonium
Typically end with –ate or –ite
Exception is hydroxide
Polyatomic Ions
NH4+ ammonium

OH- hydroxide

MnO4- permanganate

CO32- carbonate
Polyatomic Ions
NO3- nitrate NO2- nitrite

SO42- sulfate SO32- sulfite

PO43- phosphate PO33-

phosphite
Polyatomic Ions

ClO3- chlorate ClO2-

chlorite

ClO4- perchlorate ClO-

hypochlorite
Polyatomic Ions

CrO42- chromate Cr2O72-

dichromate
Common Polyatomic Ions
Ammonium NH4+
Acetate C2H3O2-
Chlorate ClO3-
Nitrate NO3-
Hydroxide OH-
Carbonate CO3-2
Sulfate SO4-2
Phosphate PO4-3
 Practice Writing and
Naming
1. NH4+ and Cl -
2. Li + and SO4-
3. Ca 2+ and NO3 -

4. K + and SO4-
5. Al 3+ and PO4-
6. NH4+ and OH-
 Writing and Naming Binary
Covalent Compounds
 Use Greek prefixes that show us how
many atoms of each element are in the
compound
 Last vowel of the prefix is dropped
when the second element begins with
a vowel
 Mono is often omitted
Number Prefix Number Prefix

1 Mono- 6 Hexa-

2 Di- 7 Hepta-

3 Tri- 8 Octa-

4 Tetra- 9 Nona-

5 Penta- 10 Deca-
 Naming Covalent
Compounds
1. CO
2. CO2

3. SO2

4. N2O

5. CCl4

6. P2O5

7. PCl3

8. PBr5
Ternary Ionic
NAMING COMPOUNDS
Followthe standard rules,
naming the cation and anion
appropriately
KMnO4
Li2CO3
FePO4
NH4OH
Pb(NO2)2
Ternary Ionic
WRITING FORMULAS
Follow the standard rules,
writing the cation and anion
appropriately
■ calcium carbonate
■ aluminum phosphite
■ zinc dichromate
■ ammonium oxide
■ tin(II) hypochlorite
Acid Nomenclature
Acidsall have hydrogen as
the cation
So they most often start with
H
Naming and writing
formulas for acids all
depend on the anion format
 Acid Nomenclature
If the anion ends with –ide,

the name is hydro-(anion

root)-ic acid
HCl  hydrochloric acid
H2S  hydrosulfuric acid
HBr  hydrobromic acid
Acid Nomenclature
If the anion ends with –ate, the
name is (anion root)-ic acid
HNO3  nitric acid
H2CO3  carbonic acid
H3PO4  phosphoric acid
 Acid Nomenclature
If the anion ends with –ite, the name
is (anion root)-ous acid
HNO2 nitrous acid
H2SO3  sulfurous acid
HClO2  chlorous acid
Metal Cation Stock Common
Name Name
Copper Cu+ Copper (I) Cuprous

Cu2 Copper (II) Cupric

Iron Fe2+ Iron (II) ferous

Fe3+ Iron (III) ferric

Gold
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
Write the formulas for the following covalent
compounds:

1. iodine pentafluoride __________________________________

2. dinitrogen trioxide __________________________________
3. ammonia __________________________________
4. phosphorus triiodide __________________________________
5. antimony tribromide __________________________________
6. hexaboron silicide __________________________________
7. chlorine dioxide __________________________________
8. hydrogen iodide __________________________________
 Write the names for the following
covalent compounds:

1. SCl4 __________________________________

2. CH4 __________________________________

3. SeF6 __________________________________

4. Si2Br6 __________________________________

5. B2Si __________________________________

6. NF3 __________________________________

7. P4S5__________________________________

8. O2 __________________________________
1) antimony tribromide SbBr3
2) hexaboron silicide B6Si
3) chlorine dioxide ClO2
4) hydrogen iodide HI
5) iodine pentafluoride IF5
6) dinitrogen trioxide N2O3
7) ammonia NH3
8) phosphorus triiodide PI3
9) P4S5 tetraphosphorus pentasulfide
10) O2 oxygen
11) SeF6 selenium hexafluoride
12) Si2Br6 disilicon hexabromide
13) SCl4 sulfur tetrachloride
14) CH4 methane
15) B2Si diboron silicide
16) NF3 nitrogen trifluoride