Chemical Formulas and Nomenclature Booklet

Chemistry Chapter 5—Chemical Naming Rules

and How to Determine Chemical Formulas

Name: ______________________________ Period____

Naming Binary Ionic Compounds—The Rules!

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Steps Example

1. Check to make sure it is an

ionic compound.

NaCl-metal + nonmetal =

ionic

2. Name the metal first. NaCl

Sodium

3. Follow with the name of

the nonmetal but change its

ending to –ide.

NaCl

Sodium chloride

NOTE: Ignore subscripts that

may follow the atom!

Table of Nonmetals and their endings

when in a binary compound

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Nonmetal Name with new ending

Chlorine, Cl Chloride

Fluorine, F Fluoride

Bromine, Br Bromide

Iodine, I Iodide

Oxygen, O Oxide

Sulfur, S Sulfide

Nitrogen, N Nitride

Phosphorus, P Phosphide

Carbon, C Carbide

Naming Binary Ionic Compounds

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Try the following using the above steps!

Formula Name

KBr

MgO

SrCl2

Na2S

K3N2

Naming Tertiary Ionic Compounds—The Rules!

5

Steps Example

1. Check to make sure it

is an ionic compound.

NaNO3- metal +

nonmetals = ionic

2. Name the metal first. NaNO3

Sodium

3. Follow with the name

of the polyatomic ion.

NaNO3

Sodium nitrate

NOTE: Ignore subscripts

that may follow the

atom(s)!

Table of Polyatomic Ions (must memorize these!)

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Polyatomic Ion Name

C2H3O2-1 Acetate

ClO4-1 Perchlorate

ClO3-1 Chlorate

ClO2-1 Chlorite

ClO-1 Hypochlorite

OH-1 Hydroxide

CO3-2 Carbonate

NO3-1 Nitrate

NO2-1 Nitrite

SO4-2 Sulfate

SO3-2 Sulfite

HCO3-1 Bicarbonate

PO4-3 Phosphate

PO3-3 Phosphite

NH4+1 Ammonium

Naming Tertiary Ionic Compounds

7

Try the following using the above steps!

Formula Name

KOH

MgCO3

Sr(ClO2)2

Na2SO4

LiNO2

Naming Binary Covalent Compounds—The Rules!

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Steps Example

1. Check to make sure it is a

covalent compound.

CO2 –nonmetal + nonmetal =

covalent

2. Name the first nonmetal

first. If there is more than one

atom, use the proper prefix in

front of it.

CO2

Carbon

3. Follow with the name of the

next nonmetal using the

proper prefix to represent the

number of atoms (make sure

you change its ending to –

ide).

CO2

Carbon dioxide

Table of Prefixes for Covalent Atoms

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Number of Atoms Prefix

1 *Mono-

2 Di-

3 Tri-

4 Tetra-

5 Penta-

6 Hexa-

7 Hepta-

8 Octa-

9 Nona-

10 Deca-

*only use for second atom

Naming Binary Covalent Compounds

10

Try the following using the above steps!

Formula Name

CO

SO2

NI3

SF6

N2O

Naming Binary and Oxyacids—The Rules!

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Rules for Binary Acids

Steps Example

1. Check to make sure it is a

binary acid.

HCl- hydrogen + nonmetal

= binary acid

2. Start with the prefix

“Hydro-“.

HCl

Hydro

3. Follow with the name of

the nonmetal but change its

ending to –ic.

HCl

Hydrochloric

4. End with “acid”. HCl

Hydrochloric acid

Naming Binary and Oxyacids—The Rules!

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Tertiary or Oxyacids

Steps Example

1. Check to make sure it is

a tertiary/oxyacid.

H2SO4- hydrogen +

polyatomic ion = tertiary

acid

2. Determine the name of

the polyatomic ion. If its

ending is –ate, then the

acid’s ending will be –ic. If

its ending is –ite, then the

acid’s ending will be –ous.

H2SO4

Sulfate = Sulfuric

3. End with “acid”. H2SO4

Sulfuric acid

Common Acids

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Formula Type of Acid Name Other Name

HCl (aq) Binary Hydrochloric acid

Hydrogen chloride (g)

HBr (aq) Binary Hydrobromic acid

Hydrogen bromide (g)

HF (aq) Binary Hydrofluoric acid

Hydrogen fluoride (g)

H2SO4 Oxyacid Sulfuric acid None

HNO3 Oxyacid Nitric acid None

HC2H3O2 Oxyacid Acetic acid None

H2CO3 Oxyacid Carbonic None

Naming Acids

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Try the following using the above steps!

Formula Name

H2CO3

H2SO3

HNO3

HF

H2S

Naming Ionic Compounds with Metals that have more than one charge

15

Steps Example

1. Check to make sure the metal has

more than one oxidation state using

the chart above. NOTE: There are

more than what is just on the list.

Fe2O3

Fe has two oxidation states: +2 and

+3 so must use Roman numerals in

name

2. Determine the charge on the

metal using the charge on the

nonmetal knowing the overall

charge should equal zero. NOTE:

Reverse criss cross may work here.

Fe2O3

Charge on O is -2, for a total of -6

(3 of them); since there is 2 Fe

atoms, each charge must be +3.

3. Name the metal using the proper

Roman numeral to represent its

charge.

Fe2O3

Iron (III)

4. Finish with the name of the

nonmetal

(-ide ending) or polyatomic ion.

Fe2O3

Iron (III) oxide

Naming Ionic Compounds that contain Metals with more than one Oxidation State

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Transition Metals/Other Metals with more than one Oxidation State

Metal Oxidation

States

Names

Fe +2, +3 Iron (II), Iron (III)

Ni +2, +3 Nickel (II), Nickel (III)

Co +2, +3 Cobalt (II), Cobalt (III)

Cr +2, +3 Chromium (II),

Chromium (III)

Cu +1, +2 Copper (I), Copper (II)

Mn +2, +4 Manganese (II),

manganese (IV)

Sn +2, +4 Tin (II), Tin (IV)

Pb +2, +4 Lead (II), Lead (IV)

Naming Ionic Compounds that contain Metals with more than one Oxidation State

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NOTE: The following metals only

have one oxidation state and

therefore, do NOT need Roman

Numerals in their names:

zinc, Zn = +2 and silver, Ag = +1

Nomenclature Review—Naming a Chemical Formula

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Chemical Formula

(like H2O, NaCl, KNO3, HCl, FeCl2)

Is it covalent?

(use prefixes for # of each atom)

Is it an acid?

(starts with H)

Is it a binary acid? (use “hydro” and “ic”)

Is it an oxyacid? (find polyatomic ion name &

change ending using rules)

Is it Ionic?

(no prefixes)

Does it contain a regular metal?

(no prefixes)

Is it binary? (ignore subscripts)

Is it tertiary? (name polyatomic ion & ignore subscripts)

Does it contain a transition metal?

(use Roman numerals for metal’s charge)

Is it binary? (ignore subscripts)

Is it tertiary? (name polyatomic ion & ignore subscripts)

Nomenclature Review—Chemical Formula from Name

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Chemical Name

(like sodium chloride, sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid, iron (II) nitrate)

Is it covalent? (prefixes in name)

Use prefixes to indicate

amount of each element;

no charge balancing

Is it an acid?

(starts with “H”)

Binary acid (starts with “hydro” ends

in “ic”; balance charge between H

and nonmetal)

Tertiary or oxyacid

no “hydro”; may end in “ic” or “ous”; use rules to determine

polyatomic name then balance charge with “H”

Is it ionic?

(no prefixes in name)

Binary ionic

(ends in –ide; balance charge of metal and nonmetal)

Tertiary ionic (may end in –ate, -ite; balance charge of metal and

polyatomic ion)

Transition metal (with Roman numeral; balance charge of metal &

nonmetal)

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Review– Naming Chemical Compounds

The following are a good mix of naming and formula writing problems to help you get

some practice.

Name the following chemical compounds:

1) NaBr ______________________________________________

2) Ca(C2H3O2)2 ______________________________________________

3) P2O5 ______________________________________________

4) Ti(SO4)2 ______________________________________________

5) FePO4 ______________________________________________

6) K3N ______________________________________________

7) SO2 ______________________________________________

8) CuOH ______________________________________________

9) Zn(NO2)2 ______________________________________________

10) V2S3 ______________________________________________

Write the formulas for the following chemical compounds:

11) silicon dioxide ______________________________________________

12) nickel (III) sulfide _____________________________________________

13) manganese (II) phosphate _____________________________________

14) silver acetate ______________________________________________

15) diboron tetrabromide __________________________________________

16) magnesium sulfate heptahydrate ________________________________

17) potassium carbonate __________________________________________

18) ammonium oxide ____________________________________________

19) tin (IV) selenide ______________________________________________

20) carbon tetrachloride __________________________________________

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Answers – Naming Chemical Compounds

Name the following chemical compounds:

1) NaBr sodium bromide

2) Ca(C2H3O2)2 calcium acetate

3) P2O5 diphosphorus pentoxide

4) Ti(SO4)2 titanium(IV) sulfate

5) FePO4 iron(III) phosphate

6) K3N potassium nitride

7) SO2 sulfur dioxide

8) CuOH copper(I) hydroxide

9) Zn(NO2)2 zinc nitrite

10) V2S3 vanadium(III) sulfide

Write the formulas for the following chemical compounds:

11) silicon dioxide SiO2

12) nickel (III) sulfide Ni2S3

13) manganese (II) phosphate Mn3(PO4)2

14) silver acetate AgC2H3O2

15) diboron tetrabromide B2Br4

16) magnesium sulfate heptahydrate MgSO4.7H2O

17) potassium carbonate K2CO3

18) ammonium oxide (NH4)2O

19) tin (IV) selenide SnSe2

20) carbon tetrachloride CCl4