Simplified rules of Nomenclature
Ver2
I
If the compound begins with an “H”; name as an Acid
A) If it’s a binary acid (only 2 elements) name as “Hydro” ____”ic” acid
Example: HCl is hydro Chloric Acid, H
2
S is Hydro Sulfuric Acid
B) If it contains more than 2 there must be oxygen present and you need to know the polyatomic ion. “ate” ions become “ic acids”
(“ite” ions become “ous” acids, but you will not be required to memorize)
Example: HNO
3
is Nitric Acid, H
2
SO
4
is Sulfuric Acid HNO
2
is Nitrous Acid
II If the compound is a metal and a non-metal (ionic bond)
A) Name the metal then change the ending of the non-metal to “ide”
Example: NaCl is Sodium Chloride, CaBr
2
is Calcium Bromide
B) If the metal is in a column you don’t know the charge of (in the “valley of confusion”) you must use a roman number to indicate the charge on the metal ion.
Example: NiCl is Nickel(I) Chloride, CuBr
CuO is Copper (II) Oxide CuS
2
2
is Copper (II) Bromide
is Copper (IV) Sulfide
III If the compound is made of 2 non-metals (Covalent bond)
A) You must use at least one prefix to indicate the ratios of the non-metals. (in covalent bonding there can be more complex bonding)
B) You must know the prefixes: 1 – mono, 2 – di, 3 – tri, 4 – tetra, 5 – penta, 6
– hexa, 7 – hepta, 8 – octa, 9 – nona, 10 – deca, etc
Example: CCl
4
is Carbon tetrachloride, CO
2
is Carbon Dioxide,
CO is Carbon Monoxide, P
2
O
5
is Diphosphorous Pentoxide
IV If there are more than 2 elements recognize and name the polyatomic ions and continue to use the above rules
A) We only require you to memorize eight poly atomic ions;
(There are many more)
NH
4
+1 OH -1 NO
3
-1
Ammonium Hydroxide Nitrate
ClO
3
-1
Chlorate
CrO
4
-2 chromate
SO
4
-2
Sulfate
CO
3
-2 PO
4
-3
Carbonate Phosphate

Version a
3
2
4
Give an acceptable name for the following simple chemical formulas:
1 Li
3
N _______________
NaCl _______________
S
2
O
5
_______________
KBr _______________
8
7
5
6
CCl
FeCO
NH
4
4
_______________
3
_______________
F ________________
K
2
S ___________________
9 LiNO
3
_________________
10 CaCl
2
__________________
11 HCl ___________________
12 H
2
SO
4
_________________
13 H
2
S ____________________
14 MgBr
2
_________________

2
3
Answers to Simplified rules of Nomenclature notes:
Give an acceptable name for the following simple chemical formulas:
1 Li
3
N ___ IONIC Lithium nitride ____________
NaCl ___IONIC Sodium chloride____________
S
2
O
5
___COVALENT di sulfur penta oxide____________
6
5
4
7
8
KBr ___IONIC Potassium bromide____________
CCl
FeCO
NH
4
4
___COVALENT Carbon tetra chloride____________
3
___IONIC transition metal and polyatomic Iron (II) carbonate____________
F ____IONIC polyatomic Ammonium floride____________
K
2
S ______IONIC potassium sulfide_____________
9 LiNO
3
____IONIC polyatomic Lithium nitrate_____________
10 CaCl
2
____IONIC Calcium chloride______________
11 HCl ____ACID binary Hydrochloric acid_______________
12 H
2
SO
4
___ACID Sulfuric acid______________
13 H
2
S _____ACID binary Hydro sulfuric acis_______________
14 MgBr
2
____IONIC magnesium bromide_____________

Writing a chemical formula name: ______________ period: _____
Compounds are chemical combinations of elements that have totally different properties than the elements that make them up. Table salt (NaCl) is a one to one chemical combination of sodium (an explosively reactive metal) and Chlorine (a poisonous green gas). There are really two types of chemical bonds. Ionic bonds where one element donates electrons and the other element accept electrons. And
Covalent bonds where the electrons are shared between the elements.
Practice writing the correct chemical formula for the combinations described.
After writing the proper formula write the correct chemical name.
Charge list:
Ag +1
NH
4
+1
Ca
+2
K
+1
Fe
Ba
+2
OH
Mg
+2
-1
+2
1) H and O
6) C and S
11) Mg and O
16) NH
4 and OH
21) K and PO
4
O -2
H
+1
Cu
+1
Cl
-1
2) Cu +2 and Cl
7) C and O
12) Fe +2 and S
CO
3
-2
Zn
+2
Cu
+2
SO
4
-2
3) Ca and O
8) Ag and S
13) Al and O
17) NH
4 and CO
3
18) H and SO
4
Al +3
NO
3
-1
Na
+1
4) Ca and I
9) C and Cl
Fe +3
C
+4
PO
4
-3
S -2
I
-1
14) Fe +3 and O 15) H and S
19) Ba and OH 20) Al and SO
4
22) Al and PO
4
23) Al and OH 24) K and SO
4
5) K and I
10) Zn and Cl
25) K and NO
3

1,
ANSWER KEY TO WRITING A CHEMICAL FORMULA
H
2
O
Hdyro oxic acid or WATER also Di Hydrogen (mono)oxide
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
CuCl
2 copper (II) chloride
CaO calcium oxide
CaI
2
KI calcium iodide potassium iodide
CS
2
CO
2
Ag
2
S carbon disulfide carbon di oxide silver (I) sulfide
CCl
4 carbon tetra chloride
ZnCl
2 Zinc (II) chloride
11,
12,
16,
MgO
FeS
Magnesium oxide
Iron (II) sulfide
13, charge
14,
15,
Al
2
O
3 Aluminum Oxide okay if Aluminum (III) oxide but everyone knows the cation has a positive 3
Fe
2
O
H
2
S
3 Iron (III) oxide
Hydro sulfuric acid
NH
4
OH
Ammonium hydroxide (everyone KNOWS the charge on the poly atomic ions)
17,
18,
19,
20,
21,
22,
23,
24,
25,
(NH
4
)
2
CO
3 ammonium carbonate
H
2
SO
4 sulfuric acid
Ba(OH)
2
Al
2
(SO
4
)
3
K
3
PO
4
Barium hydroxide
Aluminum sulfate potassium Phosphate
AlPO
4
Al(OH)
3
K
2
SO
4
KNO
3 aluminum phosphate aluminum hydroxide potassium Sulfate potassium nitrate