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Naming Covalent Compounds   Naming Binary Ionic Compounds  Polyatomic Ions Naming with Polyatomic Ions  Naming with Roman Numerals  Formula Writing  Naming Acids

The procedure that can be followed when confronted with the name of a compound and you wish to write its formula is as follows:

1. Identify the symbol of the cation (first part of the name) and the anion

2. Identify the valence or charge of each symbol and place it in parenthesis just above the symbol

   Cations (Positive Ions) All Group 1 elements in the Periodic Table are +1 in compounds. All Group 2 elements in the Periodic Table are +2 in compounds. Transition elements (have a few charges) will have a Roman Numeral to tell you what positive charge to use. silver is 1+, Zinc is 2+ and Aluminum is 3+ Polyatomic Ions -just use its charge.

   Anions  (Negative Ions)  Group 17 are 1-  (will end with -ide) Group 16 are 2-  (will end with -ide) Group 15 are 3-   (will end with -ide) Polyatomic Ions -just use its charge.  (Generally ends with -ate or -ite, watch out for hydroxide  OH- and cyanide CN-)

  3. Balance the total positive and negative charge on the cation and anion. You ask yourself do the total positive charge and total negative charge add up to zero. If the answer is no then we ask how many of each ion must we have in order to balance charge. We must have the same number of positive charges as we do of negative charges. Another way of saying that is that they must add up to zero.

   4.  Once you have determined the number of units of the cation and anion those become the subscripts which are placed right after the respective symbol.

So for example what is the formula of Copper (I) Oxide?

1. Identify the symbols of the cation and anion

   Copper is Cu and Oxide is O

2. Identify the charge for each and place above the symbol in parenthesis

   For Copper I that would be 1+ and for Oxide that would be 2-

3. Balance the positive and negative charges

   Since each Copper is 1+ and each Oxide is 2- then it will take two Cu⁺ to balance one oxide with a 2- so that 

   2(1+) + 1(2-) = 0. The numbers outside the parenthesis become the subscripts in the formula

4. Write the formula placing the subscripts right after the symbol they go with.

   Cu₂O

Also note that all binary compounds end in "ide"

Let's try another:

What is the formula of Calcium Nitride?

1. Identify the symbols of each part of the name

   Calcium symbol is Ca and Nitride symbol is N

    

2. Identify the charge for each

   Calcium belongs from Group 2 which always has a +2 and Nitride will be a single Nitrogen with a -3 charge

    

3. Balance charge

   Since Calcium is +2 and Nitride is -3 the only way to balance them is to have three Calcium's and two nitrides

    

4. Write the symbol beginning with the symbol that is first in the name and include the subscript after each symbol

   Ca₃N₂

   Formula writing with Polyatomic Ions

   1. Identify the symbol of the cation (first part of the name) and the anion

   The symbol for Iron is Fe and the symbol for Carbonate which is a polyatomic ion is CO₃

   2. Identify the valence or charge of each symbol and place it in parenthesis just above the symbol

   The valence for Iron (III) is 3+ and the valence for Carbonate is 2-

   3. Balance the total positive and negative charge on the cation and anion. You ask yourself do the total positive charge and total negative charge add up to zero. If the answer is no then we ask how many of each ion must we have in order to balance charge. We must have the same number of positive charges as we do of negative charges. Another way of saying that is that they must add up to zero. Since an Iron (III) has a +3 charge and the Carbonate ion has a 2- then it would take two Fe³⁺ units to balance three CO₃^2- units

   4. Once you have determined the number of units of the cation and anion those become the subscripts which are placed right after the respective symbol.

   Fe₂(CO₃)₃

   Try These Ionic Compounds Highlight to reveal the formula

   1.Magnesium Nitride 1.      Mg3N2 2.Iron (III) Oxide 2.      Fe2O3 3.Sodium Sulfate 3.      Na2SO4 4.Copper (II) Chloride 4.      CuCl2 5.Barium Nitrate 5.      Ba(NO3)2 6.Aluminum Hydroxide 6.      Al(OH)3 7.Mercury (II) Phosphate 7.      Hg3(PO4)2 8.Aluminum Silicate 8.      Al2(SiO3)3 9. Copper (II) Bromide 9.      CuBr2 10.Lead (II) Chlorite 10.     Pb(ClO2)2 11.Silver Cyanide 11.     AgCN 12.Ammonium Oxide 12.     (NH4)2O 13.Aluminum Perchlorate 13.     Al(ClO4)3 14.Tin (II) Chloride 14.     SnCl2 15.Nickel (III) Acetate 15.     Ni(C2H3O2)3 16.Potassium Sulfide 16.     K2S 17.Magnesium Bisulfate 17.     Mg(HSO4)2 18.Iron (II) Phosphate 18.     Fe3(PO4)2 19.Cobalt (II) Hydrogen Sulfate 19.     Co(HSO4)2 20.Chromium (II) Bicarbonate 20.     Cr (HCO3)2 21.Sodium Hypochlorite 21.     NaClO 22.Barium Carbonate 22.     BaCO3 23.Zinc (II) Permanganate 23.     Zn(MnO4)2

   Formula Name AlPO4 aluminum phosphate KNO2 potassium nitrite NaHCO3 sodium hydrogen carbonate CaCO3 calcium carbonate Mg(OH)2 magnesium hydroxide Na2CrO4 sodium chromate Ba(CN)2 barium cyanide K2SO4 potassium sulfate NaH2PO4 sodium dihydrogen phosphate NH4NO3 ammonium nitrate Sn(NO3)2 tin(II) nitrate FePO4 iron(III) phosphate Cu2SO4 copper(I) sulfate Ni(C2H3O2)2 nickel(II) acetate HgCO3 mercury(II) carbonate Pb(OH)4 lead(IV) hydroxide Cu2Cr2O7 copper(I) dichromate Cu(ClO3)2 copper(II) chlorate FeSO4 iron(II) sulfate Hg2(ClO4)2 mercury(I) perchlorate KClO3 potassium chlorate SnSO4 tin(II) sulfate Al(MnO4)3 aluminum permanganate Pb(NO3)2 lead(II) nitrate Mg3(PO4)2 magnesium phosphate CuH2PO4 copper(I) dihydrogen phosphate CaHPO4 calcium hydrogen phosphate Fe(HCO3)3 iron(III) hydrogen carbonate Na2CO3 sodium carbonate MnSO4 manganese(II) sulfate Ca(ClO3)2 calcium chlorate Fe(OH)3 iron (III) hydroxide Cu2SO4 copper (I) sulfate KMnO4 potassium permanganate NaOH sodium hydroxide Fe(NO3)2 iron (II) nitrate

Naming Covalent Compounds   Naming Binary Ionic Compounds  Polyatomic Ions Naming with Polyatomic Ions  Naming with Roman Numerals  Formula Writing  Naming Acids

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