TABLE OF COMMON IONS
POSITIVE IONS or CATIONS
+1
ammonium (NH4+)
cesium (Cs+)
copper (I) (Cu+)
gold(I) (Au+)
hydrogen (H+)
lithium (Li+)
potassium (K+)
rubidium (Rb+)
silver (Ag+)
sodium (Na+)
- Name (formula or symbolcharge)
+2
barium (Ba2+)
beryllium (Be2+)
cadmium (Cd2+)
calcium (Ca2+)
chromium (II) (Cr2+)
cobalt (II) (Co2+)
copper (II) (Cu2+)
iron (II) (Fe2+)
lead (II) (Pb2+)
magnesium (Mg2+)
manganese (II) (Mn2+)
mercury (I) (Hg22+)
mercury (II) (Hg2+)
nickel (II) (Ni2+)
platinum (II) (Pt2+)
strontium (Sr2+)
tin (II) (Sn2+)
zinc (Zn2+)
+3
aluminum (Al3+)
chromium (III) (Cr3+)
cobalt (III) (Co3+)
gallium (Ga3+)
gold (III) (Au3+)
iron (III) (Fe3+)
nickel (III) (Ni3+)
+4
lead (IV) (Pb4+)
manganese (IV) (Mn4+)
platinum (IV) (Pt4+)
tin (IV) (Sn4+)
NEGATIVE IONS or ANIONS - Name (formula or symbolcharge)
-1
-2
acetate (C2H3O2 )
carbonate (CO32-)
bromate (BrO3 )
chromate (CrO42-)
bromide (Br-)
dichromate (Cr2O72-)
chlorate (ClO3-)
hydrogen phosphate (HPO42-)
chloride (Cl )
oxalate (C2O42-)
chlorite (ClO2-)
oxide (O2-)
cyanate (CNO )
peroxide (O22-)
cyanide (CN )
selenide (Se2-)
dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4-)
silicate (SiO32-)
fluoride (F )
sulfate (SO42-)
hydrogen carbonate (HCO3-)
sulfide (S2-)
hydrogen sulfate (HSO4-)
sulfite (SO32-)
hydrogen sulfite (HSO3 )
telluride (Te2-)
hydroxide (OH-)
thiosulfate (S2O32-)
hypochlorite (ClO )
hypobromite (BrO-)
-3
iodate (IO3 )
iodide (I-)
arsenate (AsO43-)
nitrate (NO3-)
borate (BO33-)
nitrite (NO2-)
nitride (N3-)
perchlorate (ClO4 )
phosphate (PO43-)
periodate (IO4-)
phosphide (P3-)
permanganate (MnO4 )
thiocynate (SCN-)
Ending of anion attached to hydrogen
Name of acid
________ ide
hydro ________ ic acid
________ ate
___________ ic acid
________ ite
___________ ous acid
All acids contain hydrogen. The hydrogen is written at the beginning of the formula.
Examples:
Question: What is the formula of nitric acid?
Answer: All acids contain hydrogen. Write H+ as the symbol for hydrogen. Nitric acid
means that the anion attached to the hydrogen is the nitrate. Follow the H+ with the formula
of the nitrate ion, NO3-. Complete the subscript for H+, if necessary, to write the correct
formula. HNO3 is the answer.
Question: What is the name of HBr?
Answer: Since the compound begins with an H, we will assume it is an acid. The H is
followed by Br- which is called the bromide ion. Since bromide ends in ide, the acid is
called hydrobromic acid.
Number of
atoms
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
prefix
mono
di
tri
tetra
penta
hexa
hepta
octa
nona
deca
Number of
carbon atoms
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
root of name
meth
eth
prop
but
pent
hex
hept
oct
non
dec