Name ________________
Chemistry
Period ____
Date _________________
Naming Chemical Compounds WORKSHEET
The following is practice for naming and writing the chemical formula for chemical
compounds. Namely, this will provide exercise in naming: molecular (covalent)
compounds, Type I ionic compounds, Type II ionic compounds.
Use your text book, class notes, and the periodic table to help you complete the following. For
each substance whose name is given, write the formula; if the formula is given, write the name.
A. Elements
Example: Iron
Fe
Na
sodium
calcium
Ca
Cu
copper
nitrogen
N
Mg
magnesium
bromine
Br
Ni
nickel
potassium
K
F
fluorine
B. Covalent Compounds
If a common name is used most frequently, please write that name. For example, H2O = water.
carbon dioxide
CO2
Cl2O
dichlorine monoxide
dinitrogen tetroxide
N2O4
IF5
iodine pentafluoride
iodine monochloride
ICl
NO
nitrogen monoxide
sulfur trioxide
SO3
B2H6
diboron hexahydride
diphosphorus pentoxide
P2O5
P4O6
tetraphosphorous hexoxide
ammonia
NH3
B2O3
diboron trioxide
bromine pentafluoride
BrF5
CH4
methane
C. Type I Ionic Compounds
magnesium iodide
MgI2
K3P
potassium phosphide
silver oxide
Ag2O
Al2O3
aluminum oxide
aluminum chloride
AlCl3
Ba3N2
barium nitride
calcium oxide
CaO
Na2S
sodium sulfide
potassium sulfide
K2S
LiF
lithium fluoride
cesium fluoride
CsF
CaI2
calcium iodide
strontium bromide
SrBr2
ZnCl2
zinc chloride
D. Type II Ionic Compounds
lead (II) oxide
PbO
Cu2O
copper (I) oxide
tin (II) chloride
SnCl2
CrCl2
chromiun (II) chloride
manganese (IV) oxide
MnO2
SnCl4
tin (IV) chloride
vanadium (V) oxide
V2O5
PtF4
platinum (IV) fluoride
lead (IV) iodide
PbI4
OsO2
osmium (IV) oxide
nickel (III) nitride
NiN
Fe2O3
iron (III) oxide
E. Ionic Compounds (Type I & Type II) with POLYATOMIC IONS
sodium hydroxide
NaOH
Al2(SO4)3
aluminum sulfate
tin (IV) carbonate
Sn(CO3)2
Fe(OH)2
iron (II) hydroxide
barium nitrate
Ba(NO3)2
(NH4)2CO3
ammonium carbonate
ammonium acetate
NH4C2H3O2
Ca(ClO3)2
calcium chlorate
iron (III) nitrate
Fe(NO3)3
Pb(C2H3O2)4
lead (IV) acetate
aluminum nitrite
Al(NO2)3
K3PO4
potassium phosphate
cobalt (III) sulfate
Co2(SO4)3
Mg(NO2)2
magnesium nitrite
F. Putting it all together
Given
sodium sulfide
potassium phosphate
xenon hexafluoride
Covalent,
Ionic I or
Ionic II?
Ionic I
Ionic I
Formula / Name
Na2S
K3PO4
Covalent
XeF6
Ionic II
Fe2O3
Covalent
N2O4
Ionic II
SnO2
boron trichloride
Covalent
BCl3
aluminum sulfate
Ionic I
Al2(SO4)3
cobalt (II) sulfide
Ionic II
CoS
ammonium phosphide
Ionic I
(NH4)3P
iron (III) oxide
dinitrogen tetroxide
tin (IV) oxide
tetracarbon decahydride
Covalent
C4H10
sodium hydroxide
Ionic I
NaOH
copper (II) bromide
Ionic II
CuBr2
iodine monochloride
Covalent
Pb(NO3)2
ICl
Ionic II
lead (II) nitrate
AsI3
Covalent
arsenic triiodide
MgI2
Ionic I
B2O3
Covalent
magnesium iodide
diboron trioxide
(NH4)2CO3
Ionic I
ammonium carbonate
Co2S3
Ionic II
cobalt (III) sulfide
P2Cl4
Covalent
diphosphorous tetrachloride
BF3
Covalent
boron trifluoride
CsBr
Ionic I
cesium bromide
CaCO3
Ionic I
calcium carbonate
CuO
Ionic II
copper (II) oxide
BeO
Covalent
beryillium oxide
H2O
Covalent
water
G. Some questions for you:
1. How does one identify if a compound is a molecular (covalent) compound?
Non-metal+ non-metal
2. How does one identify if a compound is an ionic compound?
Non-metal + metal
3. How do you know when to use Roman Numerals? Why do you use them?
Use roman numerals in type II ionic compounds. They are used to identify the
charge on type II metals. They are necessary because type II metals can change
their charge.
4. Can a compound with a polyatomic ion end with an “ide” (like sodium chloride)? Why or
why not?
Yes it can, but only if the name already ends in “-ide”, like hydroxide. Do not
change the name to end in “-ide”
5. True or False? A compound with a polyatomic ion must contain a parenthesis with a
numerical subscript, like (NO3)2. Explain.
False; you only need parenthesis, if you have more than one polyatomic ion.
6. True or False? Before naming a molecular (covalent) compound, you must reduce the
subscripts to the smallest whole number ratio, for example, Si2H4  SiH2 so the name is
silicon dihydride. Explain.
False. You only reduce the subscripts for ionic compounds.