Maya, Anna, Anna, and Erin
 Our
flowchart is an interactive way to name
compounds. It directly asks questions, and
the viewer clicks answers to name the
compounds.
 Our rules and examples are directly shown on
a poster.
 There
will be a ● in the middle of the
compound followed by the number of waters
of hydration.
 Yes
 No




Treat the element(s) on the left side of the hydration sign as one group.
Name this side by itself by answering the questions. This name will be
the first word of the name.
How many elements are in the first group?
 2 or less
 3+
The compound is likely being hydratd by H2O. Count the number of
water molecules. Use the prefixes below and add it to the word
hydrate. Ex: dihydrate
The hydrate will be the second word in the name.








Mono=1
Di=2
Tri=3
Tetra=4
Penta=5
Hexa=6
Hepta=7
Octa=8
Nona=9
Deca=10
Combine the two names.
The whole name of the compound should be 2+ words, one of them being
the hydrate word.
Ex: Na2S2O3 •5 H2O  sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate
2
or less
3
or more
 Is
one element a
metal?
 These are all
elements left of
the step line on
the periodic table.
 Yes
 No


The compound is an ionic compound.
Does the metal have multiple charges?


Yes
No




In an ionic compound, the metal is a cation because
it loses electrons and has a positive charge.
Determine the most likely charge of the metal for the
particular compound by seeing which charge balances
the compound’s elements’ charges.
Once the charge is found, the name of the metal will
be its name on the periodic table followed by its
charge in roman numerals in parenthesis after the
name.
 Ex: iron (III)
Proceed to the next step if naming an ionic
compound.
 In
an ionic compound, the metal is a
cation because it loses electrons and has
a positive charge.
 Find
the metal’s name on the periodic table.
This name will be its name in the compound.
 Proceed to the next step if naming an ionic
compound.






Look on the table for the second element’s name. This is
the nonmetal anion.
Take the anion’s name from the table and change the
ending to –ide.
 Ex: oxygen  oxide
List the name of the cation first with its charge if it has
more than one and the anion second with its new ending.
Full name ex: KI  potassium iodide
This is the compound’s official name. Congrats!
If the compound is being multiplied, return here to finish
the name.
 This
compound is a covalent compound.
 Look at the name of the first element in the
compound.
 Is there more than one atom of this element
(This is seen in numbered subscripts to the
right of the element)?


Yes
No
 Look
at the element’s name on the periodic
table. This is the name it will have in the
compound’s name.
 This name should be listed first.
 Proceed to naming the second half of the
element.










Look at the element’s name on the periodic table. This is
the name it will have in the compound’s name with an
added prefix.
When the element name begins with a vowel, the (a) and
(o) are dropped from the end of the prefix
Look how many atoms of the element are in the
compound, and find the appropriate prefix for the number
of atoms present.
Di=2
Tri=3
Tetra=4
Penta=5
Hexa=6
Hepta=7
Octa=8
Nona=9
Deca=10
For example, if 2 nitrogens are present, nitrogen is now
dinitrogen.
This the first part of the compound’s name.
Proceed to naming the second half of the compound.










Look at the element’s name on the periodic table. This is
the name it will have in the compound’s name with an
added prefix.
When the element name begins with a vowel, the (a) and
(o) are dropped from the end of the prefix
Look how many atoms of the element are in the
compound, and find the appropriate prefix for the number
of atoms present.
Mono=1
Di=2
Tri=3
Tetra=4
Penta=5
Hexa=6
Hepta=7
Octa=8
Nona=9
Deca=10
For example, if 2 nitrogens are present, nitrogen is now
dinitrogen.
Finalize the name.
List the name of the first element. It may or may
not have an added prefix.
 List the name of the second element with the
appropriate prefix, and change the ending to –
ide.
 Ex: dinitrogen  dinitride.
 Congrats! The compound is officially named.
 Full name ex: SiO2  silicon dioxide
 If the compound is being multiplied, return here
to finish the name.



The compound is ionic!
Check the golden
polyatomic ion sheet to
see if any polyatomic
ions are in the
compound. If so, its
name on the sheet is
the name it will have in
the compound’s name.
The name will be listed
in the order in which
the symbols appear in
the formula.


Look at other elements
in the compound one at
a time.
Is the element a metal?
Yes
 No


If the whole formula
happens to be made of
polyatomic ions, keep
their original names and
list them in order from
left to right. This is its
final name.
 On
a periodic
table, look to see
if the metal has
multiple charges.
The metal will
most likely be in
the Transition
Metals section of
the table.
 Does
the metal
have multiple
charges?
Yes
 No





Determine the most likely charge of the metal for the
particular compound by seeing which charge balances the
compound’s elements’ charges.
Once the charge is found, the name of the metal
will be its name on the periodic table followed by
its charge in roman numerals in parenthesis after
the name.
 Ex: iron (III)
Following left to right in the compound name, this
cation will be named before the anion.
Go back to naming the other elements in the
compound, or finalize the naming process if all of
the elements have been accounted for.
 Find
the metal’s
name on the
periodic table.
This name will be
its name in the
compound.
 Go
back to naming
other elements in
the compound
 Or finalize the
naming process if
all of the elements
have been
accounted for.
 Look
at the
element’s name on
the periodic table.
 This will be its
name in the
compound, but
change the ending
to –ide.

Ex: oxygen  oxide
 Choose


Go back to naming
elements
Finalize the naming
process if all of the
elements have been
accounted for.
Name the elements and polyatomic ions from
left to right as they appear in the compound.
 Metals are cations, and nonmetals are anions.
Cations are named before anions.
 Any polyatomic ions should keep their names and
be named in order as they appear in the
compound.
 Congrats! The element has been successfully
named.
 Ex: NH4Cl  ammonium chloride
 Ex: Fe2S3  iron (III) sulfide
 If the compound is being multiplied, return here to
finish the name.
