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Nomenclature Guide for Compounds

This document provides an introduction to naming ionic and molecular compounds, including transition metals, polyatomic ions, acids, and hydrates. It explains that elements are pure substances that cannot be broken down further, and compounds form when elements combine in fixed proportions. Ions are charged species formed by gaining or losing electrons. Cations are positively charged ions and anions are negatively charged ions. The document then discusses nomenclature rules for naming ions, ionic compounds, acids, and hydrates based on their chemical formulas. It also covers writing chemical formulas when given compound names.

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Shalini Ahuja
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281 views6 pages

Nomenclature Guide for Compounds

This document provides an introduction to naming ionic and molecular compounds, including transition metals, polyatomic ions, acids, and hydrates. It explains that elements are pure substances that cannot be broken down further, and compounds form when elements combine in fixed proportions. Ions are charged species formed by gaining or losing electrons. Cations are positively charged ions and anions are negatively charged ions. The document then discusses nomenclature rules for naming ions, ionic compounds, acids, and hydrates based on their chemical formulas. It also covers writing chemical formulas when given compound names.

Uploaded by

Shalini Ahuja
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Nomenclature Introduction: Introduces nomenclature of ionic and molecular compounds, including elements, ions, and their compounds.
  • Ions: Defines ions with examples and introduces common polyatomic ions.
  • Naming of Acids: Explains the naming conventions for various acids and provides examples.
  • Hydrates: Describes hydrates, emphasizing their composition and nomenclature.
  • Writing Chemical Formulas: Guides the process of writing chemical formulas based on the provided names.
  • Examples of Chemical Formulas: Provides detailed examples of chemical formula derivations from given names.
  • Valency and Charge: Explains how the valency and charge of atoms affect their chemical formula construction.

An introduction to nomenclature (ionic and molecular compounds including transition

metals, polyatomic ions, acids, and hydrates). Basically, please explain how I can
name and identify them by their name and chemical formula. Please submit as a
typed pdf so I can print lesson and take with me to read and study.
Elements: These are pure substances which cannot be broken down further. There
are 108 elements in the periodic table. Every element has a unique name and
symbol. For example: Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), etc.
It is crucial to remember symbols of elements to name the compounds.
Compounds: When elements combine in a fixed proportion, they form compounds.
For example: NaCl is formed when Sodium (Na) and Chlorine (Cl) are form.
Ions: Ions are charged species. which are formed due to gaining or losing electrons.
These can be single charged atom or group of atoms. For example: Hydroxide ion is
OH-, Sodium ion is Na+ etc.
In a neutral atom, number of protons (positive charged particles) equals number of
electrons (negative charged particles).
Cation: Positively charged ion is called cation. They are formed when electrons are
lost. Metals generally form cations.
Anion: Negatively charged ion is called anion. They are formed when electrons are
gained. Non metals generally form anions.
NOMENCLATURE:
A) IONS
As mentioned before, ions can be composed of a single charged atom or a
group of atoms (polyatomic).
• We name positively charged ion, that is cation, same as the element
name. For example: Na+ is called as Sodium ion, Mg2+ is Magnesium
ion, Zn2+ is zinc ion, Ag+ is silver ion etc.
Transition atoms may show multiple charges. For example, Iron can
form both Fe2+ and Fe3+, so while naming, we put charge in roman
numeral next to the name in bracket. For example: Fe2+ is Iron (II),
also known as ferrous ion. Fe3+ is Iron (III), also called as ferric ion.
(“ous suffix generally denotes a lower positive charge, “ic” suffix
denotes a higher positive charge).
• For negative ions having same atoms, we generally add “ide” to their
elemental name. For example: Cl- becomes chloride, S2- becomes
sulphide, O2- is oxide and so on.
• For polyatomic ions, there isn’t exactly a cleat cut way. You just
intuitively remember their names once you see those again and again.
Refer to table below for examples of some common ions:

B) IONIC COMPOUNDS
Ionic compounds are formed of, well, ions :p. One ion is positively charged
(cation) and other is negatively charged (anion). While writing formula, we
always write cation first, followed by anion. So we just combine the name of
cation followed by anion for naming ionic compounds.
For example: In LiCl, first is cation Li+ which is Lithium ion. Next is Cl- which
is Chloride. Hence, name of compound is Lithium Chloride
Similarly, for Al2(SO4)3, cation is Al3+, so Aluminium. Anion is SO42- which is
Sulphate. Hence compound is Aluminium Sulphate.

C) ACIDS
Acids are named using same logic as ionic compounds. Only difference is
cation for acid is H+ or hydrogen

Depending upon the suffix of anion, acids are named. Please check the table
below for Chloride, Nitrate and Nitrite ions.
Below is the list of some common acids that you must remember:

D) HYDRATES
“Hydrate” is a term used in inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry to indicate that
a substance contains loosely bonded water. The name of a hydrate follows a set
pattern: the name of the ionic compound followed by a numerical prefix and the suffix
“-hydrate.” For example, CuSO4 · 5 H2O is “copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate.” The
notation of hydrous compound · nH2O, where n is the number of water molecules per
formula unit of the salt, is commonly used to show that a salt is hydrated.
The “n” is usually a low integer though it is possible for fractional values to exist. The
prefixes are the same Greek prefixes used in naming molecular compounds.

Therefore, in a monohydrate “n” is one; in a hexahydrate “n” is 6, and so on.


WRITING CHEMICAL FORMULA WHEN NAME IS GIVEN

Now that you know how compounds are named, it is understood that when any
compound name will be given, cation will be followed by anion. Symbol for cation is
written first in formula followed by anion.
While writing the chemical formulae for compounds, we write the constituent
elements and their valencies as shown below. Then we must crossover the valencies
of the combining atoms.
The valencies of single atom ions depends on group to which element belongs. All
Group 1 elements have valency 1 and form ions with +1 charge, Group 2 has valency
2 and form ions with +2 charge.

An introduction to nomenclature (ionic and molecular compounds including transition metals, polyatomic ions, acids, and hydr
Refer to table below for examples of some common ions: B) IONIC COMPOUNDS Ionic compounds are formed of, well, ions :
Below is the list of some common acids that you must remember: D) HYDRATES “Hydrate” is a term used i
WRITING CHEMICAL FORMULA WHEN NAME IS GIVEN Now that you know how compounds are named,
The valencies of single atom ions depends on group to which element belongs. All Group 1 elements have valency 1 and form

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