Naming Compounds,
cations and anions
Elements and symbols that
you should know:
Part 1 – The obvious ones:
1) Hydrogen
H
8) Oxygen
O
2) Helium
He
9) Fluorine
F
3) Lithium
Li
10)Neon
Ne
4) Beryllium
Be
11) Magnesium
Mg
5) Boron
B
12)Aluminium
Al
6) Carbon
C
13)Silicon
Si
7) Nitrogen
N
14)Phosphorus
P
Some more obvious ones:
15)Sulphur
S
18) Calcium
Ca
16)Chlorine
Cl
19) Zinc
Zn
17)Argon
Ar
The less obvious ones:
1) Sodium
Na
6) Tin
Sn
2) Potassium
K
7) Gold
Au
3) Iron
Fe
8) Mercury
Hg
4) Copper
Cu
9) Lead
Pb
5) Silver
Ag
Polyatomic ions (-1 charge)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
H2PO4
C2H3O2
HSO3
HCO3
NO2
NO3
CN
OH
MnO4
ClO
ClO2
ClO3
ClO4
DiHydrogen phosphate
Acetate
Hydrogen Sulfite
Hydrogen Carbonate
Nitrite
Nitrate
Cyanide
Hydroxide
Permanganate
Hypochlorite
Chlorite
Chlorate
Perchlorate
Polyatomic ions (-2 charge)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
HPO4
C2O4
SO3
SO4
CO3
CrO4
Cr2O7
SiO3
Hydrogen Phosphate
Oxalate
Sulfite
Sulfate
Carbonate
Chromate
Dichromate
Silicate
Polyatomic ions (-3 charge)
• PO3
• PO4
Phosphite
Phosphate
Rule 1– If two identical elements combine then the
name doesn’t change
This happens with the following elements:
1) H2
4) F2
2) N2
5) Cl2
3) O2
6) Br2
These elements always go
around in pairs (diatomic
molecules). For example,
hydrogen looks like this:
Rule 2 – When two elements join and one is a halogen,
oxygen or sulphur the name ends with ____ide
e.g. Magnesium + oxygen
magnesium oxide
1) Sodium + chlorine
6) KBr
2) Magnesium + fluorine
7) LiCl
3) Lithium + iodine
8) CaO
4) Chlorine + copper
9) MgS
5) Oxygen + iron
10)KF
Rule 3 – When three or more elements combine and two of
them are hydrogen and oxygen the name ends with
hydroxide
e.g. Sodium + hydrogen + oxygen
Sodium hydroxide
1) Potassium + hydrogen + oxygen
2) Lithium + hydrogen + oxygen
3) Calcium + hydrogen + oxygen
4) Mg(OH)2
Rule 4 – When three or more elements combine and
one of them is oxygen the ending is _____ate
e.g. Copper + sulphur + oxygen
Copper sulphate
1) Calcium + carbon + oxygen
6) AgNO3
2) Potassium + carbon + oxygen
7) H2SO4
3) Calcium + sulphur + oxygen
8) K2CO3
4) Magnesium + chlorine + oxygen
5) Calcium + oxygen + nitrogen
Covalent formulae
Ionic formulae
H2O
Water
NaCl
Sodium chloride
CO2
Carbon dioxide
CaCl2
Calcium chloride
NH3
Ammonia
MgO
Magnesium oxide
H2
Hydrogen
HCl
Hydrochloric acid
Sulphuric acid
O2
Oxygen
H2SO4
HNO3
Nitric acid
N2
Nitrogen
NaOH
Sodium hydroxide
SO2
Sulphur dioxide
Ca(OH)2
Calcium hydroxide
CaCO3
Calcium carbonate
Al2O3
Aluminium oxide
Fe2O3
Iron oxide
This powerpoint was kindly donated to
www.worldofteaching.com
http://www.worldofteaching.com is home to over a
thousand powerpoints submitted by teachers. This is a
completely free site and requires no registration. Please
visit and I hope it will help in your teaching.