Matter Unit
Names and Formulas
for Compounds
Key
Matter Unit
Rules for Naming Compounds
Covalent
Ionic
Two or more Nonmetals
Metal and Nonmetal
Formed
Between:

Cation (positive ion) name.
When
Naming:

If the cation can have more
than one charge, a roman
numeral is used to denote
the charge in that
compound.

Anion (negative ion) name.

End the name of binary (2
elements) compounds
with”ide”

Compounds with
Polyatomic ions end with
“ate” or “ite”

Use prefixes to tell how
many of each element.

nd
End the name of the 2
particle with “ide”










mon (1)
di (2)
tri (3)
tetra (4)
penta (5)
hex (6)
hept (7)
oct (8)
non (9)
dec (10)
P2Cl5 diphosphorous pentachloride
NaBr sodium bromide
Example:
FeS iron(II) sulfide
CaCO3 calcium carbonate
Memorize the following polyatomic ions names and corresponding formula and
charge (make flash cards!):
acetate
hypochlorite
chlorite
chlorate
perchlorate
carbonate
permanganate
cyanide
chromate
dichromate
bicarbonate
hydrogen phosphate
hydrogen sulfite
hydrogen sulfate
ammonium
nitrate
nitrite
peroxide
hydroxide
phosphate
sulfite
sulfate
oxalate
Assignment 1: Name the following binary compounds:
Identify each as ionic or covalent.
CS2
carbon disulfide
(covalent)
MgSe
magnesium selinide
(ionic)
CuCl2
copper(II) chloride
(ionic)
SO2
sulfur dioxide
(covalent)
FeS
iron(II) sulfide
(ionic)
CaCl2
calcium chloride
(ionic)
PbF2
lead(II) fluoride
(ionic)
KI
potassium iodide
(ionic)
Na2O
sodium oxide
(ionic)
CBr4
carbon tetrabromide (covalent)
Fe2O3
iron(III) oxide
Cl2O7
dichlorine heptoxide (covalent)
CaO
calcium oxide
(ionic)
Al2S3
aluminum sulfide
(ionic)
Cu2O
copper(I) oxide
(ionic)
(ionic)
Why do the elements iron, copper, and lead have a roman
numeral in the name while the other metals do not? What does
the roman numeral tell you?
Assignment 2: Name the following compounds:
Identify as ionic or covalent; binary or ternary.
NaCl
sodium chloride
(binary ionic)
NaHCO3
sodium bicarbonate
(ternary ionic)
CaO
calcium oxide
(binary ionic)
NaClO
sodium hypochlorite
(ternary ionic)
CaCO3
calcium carbonate
(ternary ionic)
Al2O3
aluminum oxide
(binary ionic)
CO2
carbon dioxide
(binary covalent)
Fe2S3
iron(III) sulfide
(binary ionic)
XeF6
xenon hexafluoride
(binary covalent)
NaNO2
sodium nitrite
(ternary ionic)
LiCN
lithium cyanide
(ternary ionic)
K2S
potassium sulfide
(binary ionic)
NH3
nitrogen trihydride
(binary covalent)
NaOH
sodium hydroxide
(ternary ionic)
CO
carbon monoxide
(binary covalent)
SO2
sulfur dioxide
(binary covalent)
TiO2
titanium(IV) oxide
(binary ionic)
KNO3
potassium nitrate
(ternary ionic)
KClO3
potassium chlorate
(ternary ionic)
SiO2
silicon dioxide
(binary covalent)
Assignment 3: Name the following compounds of all types
including acids:
MgSO4
magnesium sulfate
H3PO3
phosphorous acid
CuBr2
copper(II) bromide
HI
hydroiodic acid
Mn3(PO4)2
manganese(II)phosphate
Na2SO4
sodium sulfate
Al2(CO3)3
aluminum carbonate
Fe2SO3)3
iron(III) sulfite
HClO3
chloric acid
NaHSO4
sodium bisulfate (sodium hydrogen sulfate)
SnO
tin(II) oxide
Bi2(SO4)3
bismuth(III) sulfate
HNO3
nitric acid
Cd(NO2)2
cadmium(II) nitrite
H2S
hydrosulfuric acid
How do you know when to name a compound as an acid?
Assignment 4: Write formulas for the following compounds of
all types including acids:
sodium phosphite
Na3PO3
hydrochloric acid
HCl
copper(I) nitrate
CuNO3
carbon tetrachloride
CCl4
dinitrogen trioxide
N2O3
strontium chlorate
Sr(ClO3)2
iron(III) chromate
Fe2(CrO4)3
cobalt(II) chloride
CoCl2
sulfuric acid
H2SO4
disulfur difluoride
S2F2
chromic acid
H2CrO4
oxalic acid
H2C2O4
manganese(III) sulfate
Mn2(SO4)3
phosphoric acid
H3PO4
chromium(III) oxide
Cr2O3
Assignment 5: Naming and Formulas
Part 1: Naming
Part 2: Formulas
1. Fe(NO3)2 iron(II) nitrate
11. cadmium(II) fluoride
CdF2
2. Mg(NO2)2 magnesium nitrite
12. barium phosphate
Ba3(PO4)2
3. KOH
potassium hydroxide
13. copper(I) chloride
CuCl
4. NH4NO3
ammonium nitrate
14. barium nitrate
Ba(NO3)2
5. CaSO4
calcium sulfate
15. iron(III) carbonate
Fe2(CO3)3
6. PbF2
lead(II) fluoride
16. calcium sulfite
CaSO3
7. PbO2
lead(IV) oxide
17. copper(II) hydroxide
Cu(OH)2
8. Ba(HCO3)2 barium bicarbonate
18. aluminum phosphate
AlPO4
9. Al2(CO3)3 aluminum carbonate
19. zinc sulfite
ZnSO3
10. Cu(OH)2 copper(II) hydroxide
20. zinc chloride
ZnCl2
Part 3: What’s Wrong With These Formulas?
21. (NH3)2CO3
NH3 is not an ion. NH4 is ammonium.
22. Na2PO4
Because Na has a charge of +1 and phosphate is -3, the charges are
not equal. Should be Na3 PO4.
23. K(OH)2
Because K has a charge of +1 and hydroxide is -1, the charges are
not equal. Should be KOH.
Assignment 6: Naming and Formulas
Name
Use
Formula
calcium sulfate
plaster
CaSO4
calcium carbonate
chalk
CaCO3
aluminum sulfate
deodorant
Al2(SO4)3
potassium nitrate
saltpeter
KNO3
silicon dioxide
amethyst
SiO2
cobalt(II) chloride
CoCl2
CuSO4
aluminum chloride
foam stabilizer
in beer
controls algae in
tropical fish aquariums
antiperspirant
nitrogen dioxide
Los Angeles smog
NO2
sulfur dioxide
London smog
SO2
nitrogen monoxide
auto exhaust
NO
carbon tetrachloride
CCl4
tin(II) fluoride
once used as
cleaning fluid
fluoristan in toothpaste
tin(IV) fluoride
toothpaste additive
SnF4
iron(II) sulfate
iron pills, dyes, inks
FeSO4
ammonium nitrate
fertilizer ingredient
NH4NO3
silver bromide
photographic emulsion
AgBr
lead(IV) oxide
electrode in car battery
PbO2
sodium phosphate
grease cleaner
Na3PO4
copper(II) sulfate
AlCl3
SnF2