Naming Ionic Compounds

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As discussed in the You Tube video of Naming Binary Ionic Compounds (see below), Ionic Compounds are composed of ions. So I have included tables for ions (name & symbol/charge) at the bottom of this webpage.

General Rules

Cation followed by anion (either in name or for chemical formula.) Even though they are made up of ions, the chemical formula NEVER has charges in it.
To determine the subscript for the cation or anion (what is x and y in Ba_xCl_y), the rule is Total "+" charge = Total "-" charge.
- The subscripts of the cation and anion are the number of that ion needed so that the total positive ("+") charge equals the Total negative ("-") charge.
- Why: The actual of number of electrons that are released to form the cations must be equal to the number of electrons gained by the anions (that is what the above statement means)
- For example, Ba atom releases 2 electrons to form barium ion (Ba²⁺) but chlorine atom only needs to gain 1 electron to form the chloride ion (Cl^1-). So you need two chloride ions to consume/account for the 2 electrons lost. So the x and y are 1 and 2 or the chemical formula is Ba₁Cl₂.

This accounting of electrons when making the ions (the actual chemistry that happens in a "ionic bond") is true for all ionic compounds. For ease of learning, I have broken down Naming Ionic Compounds (IC) into 3 different types: 1) Binary IC, 2) IC with Polyatomic ions, and 3) IC with Cation with more than One Charge.

For the material below, the idea is that you watch the You Tube video while following along with my handout (and add your notes to it) and then try the homework assignment. You proceed in the order below. I have given the answer to two problems in each homework assignment so that you can be confident that you are doing that section correctly before starting next section. If you have any major problem, ask someone in your class (or another one of my classes) for help and if all else fails, stop working on naming and come in with questions.

1) Naming Binary Ionic Compounds

Print out or have open (along with your notes), Naming Binary Ionic Compounds
Watch [You Tube video of Naming Binary Ionic Compounds]
- If you are using Edpuzzle, name is NamingBinaryIonicCompoundsVideo.
HW: Binary Ionic Compound Homework Handout

2) Naming Ionic Compounds with Polyatomic Ions

Print out or have open (along with your notes), Naming Ionic Compounds with Polyatomic Ions
Watch [You Tube video of Naming Ionic Compounds with Polyatomic Ions]
- If you are using Edpuzzle, the name is NamingIonicCompoundswithPolyatomicIonsVideo
HW: Ionic Compounds with Polyatomic Ions Homework Handout

3) Naming Ionic Compounds with Cations with More than One Charge

Print out or have open (along with your notes), Naming Ionic Compounds with Cation with more than one charge
Watch [You Tube Video of Naming Ionic Compounds with Cations with More Than One Charge]
- If you are using Edpuzzle, name is NamingIonicCompoundswithCationwithMoreThanOneChargeVideo
HW: Ionic Compounds with Cation with more than one charge Homework Handout

As stated above, I have included below ion tables and a handout where you can find answers to two problems for each of the homework sets.

Answer to Two Problems from Each of Three Types of Naming Ionic Compounds Homework Sets

Tables of ions (names and symbols & charges)
- Anion Table - Revised 2009-2010 (these polyatomic ions you will need to memorize)
- AnionTable (larger table of polyatomic ions, some you have to memorize others you do not)
- Charge of Ions from Periodic Table (cation name is name of element, anion name drop ending of element and add "ide").
- Cations with More than One Charge