CHM 130
Naming & Writing Chemical Formulas
PRE - LAB
Section 1: Naming Monatomic Cations – Group IA and IIA cations form only one stable charge and are
named for the parent metal followed by the word “ion.” Many other metals, especially the transition metals, can
form cations with variable charges (oxidation states) so it is necessary to include a Roman numeral in
parentheses to indicate the charge of the cation. Copper, for example, can form either Cu+, which we name
copper (I), and Cu 2+, which we name copper (II). The aluminum ion (Al3+), zinc ion (Zn2+) and silver ion (Ag+)
are exceptions for transition metals and do not require the Roman numeral to be added to the name of the cation.
Cr2+__ chromium (II) ion _
Al 3+ _ aluminum ion _
Co3+ _ cobalt (III) ion _
Cu1+ _ copper (I) ion _
Ca2+ _ calcium ion _
Sn 4+ _ tin (IV) ion _
K+_ potassium ion _
Ni3+ _ nickel (III) ion _
Fe2+_ iron (II) ion _
Pb2+ _ lead (II) ion _
Ag+_ silver ion _
Zn2+ _ zinc ion _
Section 2: Naming Monatomic Anions – Nonmetal ions are named using the nonmetal stem plus the suffix
–ide.
For example, Cl- is named chloride ion; N3- is named nitride ion.
O2-_ oxide ion _
Br - _ bromide ion _
H- _ hydride ion _
I- _ iodide ion _
S2-_ sulfide ion _
P3- _ phosphide ion _
Section 3: Naming Polyatomic Ions – Polyatomic anions generally contain one or more elements combined
with oxygen and are often called oxyanions. The most common oxyanions have the name ending in
form)
SO42-
_ sulfate ion _
–ate (root
PO43-_ phosphate ion _
CO32- _ carbonate ion _
NO3- _ nitrate ion _
BrO31- __ bromate ion __
IO31-
_ iodate ion _
ClO31- __ chlorate ion __
1
The prefix hypo- with ending - ite indicates two less oxygen atom than the oxyanion ending in –ate (the
root form);
The ending ite indicates one less oxygen atom than the oxyanion ending in –ate (the root form);
The root
form of the oxyanions as listed in the section 3 ending with -ate;
The prefix per- with ending -ate indicates one more oxygen atom than the oxyanion ending in –ate (the
root form)
ClO4- _ perchlorate ion_
SO42-_ sulfate ion _
ClO3- _ chlorate ion _
SO32-_ sulfite ion _
ClO2- _ chlorite ion _
SO22-_ hyposulfite ion _
ClO- _ hypochlorite ion _
Anions derived by adding H+ to an oxyanion are named by adding as a prefix the word hydrogen or dihydrogen,
as appropriate. The charge on the ion will increase by + 1 for each hydrogen added to the base oxyanion.
HSO4- _ hydrogen sulfate ion _
HCO3- _ hydrogen carbonate ion _
HPO32- _ hydrogen phosphate ion _
H2PO4- _ dihydrogen phosphate ion _
Polyatomic anions that are exceptions and do not fit into any of the above:
CN - _ cyanide ion _
OH - _ hydroxide ion _
C22- _ carbide ion _
O22-_ peroxide ion _
There is only one polyatomic cation we need to know for now: NH4 + _ ammonium ion _
2
LAB REPORT
NAME: _________________________________________
Section 4: Writing Formulas of Ionic Compounds from the Monatomic Ions. The charges of the ions must
sum to equal zero for the ionic compound. Write the name of each compound using the IUPAC rules for
naming binary compounds with a single-charge metal.
Formula
Na +
Name
Formula
Ca 2+
Name
Formula
Al 3+
Name
Na +
Cl –
Cl –
Na +
O 2O 2-
N 3N 3-
Na +
Na +
Se 2Se 2-
Na +
As 3–
As 3–
NaCl
Na2O
Na3N
Na2Se
Sodium Chloride
Ca 2+ Cl –
Sodium Oxide
Ca 2+ O 2-
Sodium Nitride
Ca 2+ N 3-
Sodium Selenide
CaCl2
CaO
Ca3N2
CaSe
Calcium Oxide
Al 3+ O 2-
Calcium Nitride
Al 3+ N 3-
Calcium Selenide
AlCl3
Al2O3
AlN
Al2Se3
AlAs
Aluminum Chloride
Aluminum Oxide
Aluminum Nitride
Aluminum Selenide
Aluminum
Arsenide
Calcium Chloride
Al
3+
Cl
–
Ca
Al
2+
Na3As
3+
Se
2-
Sodium Arsenide
Ca 2+ As 3–
Ca3As2
Se
2-
Calcium Arsenide
Al 3+ As 3–
Section 5: Writing Formulas of Ionic Compounds Formed with Polyatomic Ions. The charges of the ions
must sum to equal zero for the ionic compound. If more than one of the polyatomic ions is required, parentheses
should be added around the formula of the polyatomic ion and a subscript placed after the parentheses to allow
the charges in the ionic compound to sum to zero. Write the name of each compound using the rules for naming
of compounds in IUPAC category two – ternary ionic compounds.
Formula
CO3 2Cu+ CO3 2-
OH Cu+ OH -
PO4 3Cu+ PO4 3-
SO4 2Cu+ SO4 2-
NO3 –
Cu+ NO3 –
Cu+
Cu2CO3
CuOH
Cu3PO4
Cu2SO4
CuNO3
Name
Formula
Copper (I) Carbonate
NH4 +
(NH4)2CO3
NH4OH
Name
Formula
Ammonium Carbonate
Ammonium Hydroxide
Pb2+
PbCO3
Name
Formula
Lead (II) Carbonate
Al 3+
Al2(CO3)3
Al(OH)3
AlPO4
Al2(SO4)3
Al(NO3)3
Aluminum Carbonate
Aluminum Hydroxide
Aluminum Phosphate
Aluminum Sulfate
Aluminum Nitrate
Name
NH4
2+
Pb
Al
3+
+
CO3
CO3
CO3
2-
2-
Copper (I) Hydroxide
NH4
2+
Pb
+
OH
OH
-
-
Pb(OH)2
2-
Lead (II) Hydroxide
Al
3+
OH
-
Copper (I) Phosphate
NH4
+
3-
PO4
Copper (I) Sulfate
NH4
+
2-
SO4
Copper (I) Nitrate
NH4 + NO3 –
(NH4)3PO4
(NH4)2SO4
NH4NO3
Ammonium Phosphate
Ammonium Sulfate
Ammonium Nitrate
2+
Pb
PO4
3-
2+
Pb
SO4
2-
Pb3(PO4)2
PbSO4
Lead (II) Phosphate
Lead (II) Sulfate
Al
3+
PO4
3-
Al
3+
SO4
Pb2+ NO3 –
Pb(NO3)2
2-
Lead (II) Nitrate
Al 3+ NO3 –
3
Name the following ionic compounds. Watch out for metals that can take a variable oxidation state.
NH4Br _ ammonium bromide _
NaHSO4 _ sodium hydrogen sulfate _
CrO3 _ chromium (VI) oxide _
Mg(NO3)2 _ magnesium nitrate _
Co(NO2)2 _ cobalt (II) nitrite _
CuSO5 _ copper (II) persulfate _
CaCO3 _ calcium carbonate _
NaHCO3 _ sodium hydrogen carbonate _
KCl _ potassium chloride _
NiBr3 _ nickel (III) bromide _
FeSO4 _ iron (II) sulfate _
Be(NO3)2 _ beryllium nitrate _
MgCl2 _ magnesium chloride _
AuCl3 _ gold (III) chloride _
FeCl3 _ iron (III) chloride _
Cu3P _ copper (I) phosphide _
Zn3(PO5)2 _ zinc perphosphate _
NH4NO2 _ ammonium nitrite _
Al(OH)3 _ aluminum hydroxide _
Cu(C2H3O2)2 _ copper (II) acetate _
CuC2H3O2 _ copper (I) acetate _
PbSO3 _ lead (II) sulfite _
NaClO _ sodium hypochlorite _
SnS2 _ tin (IV) sulfide _
Fe2O3 _ iron (III) oxide _
(NH4)3PO4 _ ammonium phosphate _
Write the chemical formula for the following ionic compounds:
magnesium sulfate _ MgSO4 _
barium hydrogen carbonate _Ba(HCO3)2 _
silver sulfide _ Ag2S _
lead (II) nitrate _ Pb(NO3)2 _
ammonium perphosphate _ (NH4)3PO5 _
iron (II) oxide _ FeO _
iron (III) oxide _ Fe2O3 _
calcium chloride _ CaCl2 _
potassium nitrite _ KNO2 _
magnesium hydroxide _ Mg(OH)2 _
aluminum hyposulfite _ Al2(SO2)3_
copper (II) hypochlorite _Cu(ClO)2 _
lead (IV) peroxide _ Pb(O2)2_
potassium carbide _ K2C2 _
aluminum sulfite _ Al2(SO3)3_
lithium cyanide _ LiCN _
4
Binary Molecular Compounds
Section 6: Name the Following Binary Molecular Compounds. A binary molecular compound is composed
of two nonmetal elements. (Nonmental elements usually found to the right of the staircase in the periodic table)
The first element in the compound is named using the parent
name and the second element in the formula
uses the stem of the parent name with the suffix ending with –ide. The number of atoms of each element is
indicated by Greek prefixes with an exception being the prefix mono- is never used in naming the first element.
For example, P4S7 is named tetraphosphorus heptasulfide.
Write the name of each binary molecular compound. Watch out for names from the Internet!
SO3 _ sulfur trioxide _
N2O _ dinitrogen monoxide _
NO _ nitrogen monoxide _
N2O4 _ dinitrogen tetroxide _
N2O5 _ dinitrogen pentoxide _
PCl3 _ phosphorous trichloride _
PCl5 _phosphorous pentachloride _
NH3 _ nitrogen trihydride (ammonia is OK)_
SCl6 _ sulfur hexachloride _
P2O5 _ diphosphorous pentoxide _
CCl4 _ carbon tetrachloride _
SiO2 _ silicon dioxide _
CS2 _ carbon disulfide _
OF2 _ oxygen difluoride _
Write the chemical formula for the following binary molecular compounds:
carbon monoxide _ CO _
boron trichloride _ BCl3 _
dinitrogen pentoxide _ N2O5 _
silicon dioxide _ SiO2 _
tetraphosphorous decoxide _ P4O10 _
disulfur hexaiodide _ S2I6 _
nitrogen tribromide _ NBr3 _
triiodine nonafluoride _ I3F9 _
octaselenium pentoxide _ Se8O5 _
dibromine tetroxide _ Br2O4 _
tetraiodine decoxide _ I4O10 _
dioxygen heptafluoride _ O2F7 _
5
Binary Acids. A binary acid is an aqueous solution of a compound containing hydrogen and a nonmetal. A
more inclusive definition of a binary acid is an acid that does not contain oxygen. The chemical
formula always begins with H and must include (aq) at the end. The binary acids are systematically named by
using the prefix hydro- before the nonmetal stem and adding the suffix –ic acid. For example, HCl (aq) is
named hydrochloric acid.
Name or write the formula for the following binary acids:
HF(aq) _ hydrofluoric acid _
hydrochloric acid _ HCl _
H2S(aq) _ hydrosulfuric acid _
hydrophosphoric acid _ H3P _
HI(aq) _ hydroiodic acid _
hydrobromic acid _ HBr _
Oxyacids. An oxyacid is a compound containing hydrogen and an oxyanion. The chemical formula always
begins with H and ends with O. The oxyacid are named systematically as follows: Hydrogen always represents
as an acid, the nonmetal stem ending of the oxyanion in an acid form will transform from
-ate
to
– ic; -ite to – ous.
For example:
H2CO3 -- H+ represents the acid -- CO3-2 is carbonate ion, replace “ate” with “ic” ---Carbonic acid
H2SO2 -- H+ represents the acid -- SO22- is hyposulfite ion, replacing “ite” with “ous” -- hyposulfurous acid.
Name the following oxyacids:
HNO2 _ nitrous acid _
H3PO4_ phosphoric acid _
HNO3_ nitric acid _
H2SO3_ sulfurous acid _
HBrO_ hypobromous acid _
HBrO2_ bromous acid _
HBrO3_ bromic acid _
HBrO4_ perbromic acid _
Write the formula for the following oxyacids:
sulfuric acid _ H2SO4 _
nitric acid _ HNO3 _
hypoiodous acid _ HIO _
perchloric acid _ HClO4 _
acetic acid _ HC2H3O2 _
phosphorous acid _ H3PO3 _
carbonic acid _ H2CO3 _
nitrous acid _ HNO2 _
6