Andrew Fortney

P.3

Naming Ionic Compounds

What are the structural units that make up ionic compounds and how are they named?

Why?

When working in chemistry, it is often convenient to write a chemical in symbols. For example we
might write down the substance table salt as NaCl. In talking about chemistry however, it is a bit
tacky to say “en-ay see-ell” when we want to refer to a substance. Also, in formal writing we should
use the name of the compound rather than its symbols. Therefore we need to learn how to say the
proper names of ionic substances.

Model 1 – Ion Charges for Selected Elements

1 H+

2 Li+ Be2+ N3– O2– F1–

3
Na+ Mg2+ Al3+ P3– S2– Cl1–
Transition elements
4
Fe2+ Ni2+ Cu+
K+ Ca2+ Zn2+ Br1–
5 Fe3+ Ni3+ Cu2+
Sn2+
6 Rb+ Sr2+ Ag1+ I1–
Sn4+
Hg22+ Pb2+
Ba2+
Hg2+ Pb4+

Cations Anions
1. Based on the information in Model 1:
a. Identify three elements that form only one cation.

Hydrogen, potassium, lithium

b. Identify three elements that form only one anion.

Fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen

c. Identify three elements that form more than one cation.

Iron, nickel, copper

Andrew Fortney
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d. In what region of the periodic table are these “multiple ion” elements usually located?

In the transition elements area.

2. Consider the ions of potassium (K) and sulfur (S). Write chemical formulas for all possible
ionic compounds involving these ions, using the simplest ratio(s) of potassium (K) and sulfur
(S). Keep in mind that the sum of the charges in an ionic compound must equal zero.

K+1 + S-2 = K2S

3. Consider the ions of iron (Fe) and sulfur (S). Write chemical formulas for all possible ionic
compounds involving these ions, using the simplest ratio(s) of iron (Fe) and sulfur (S). Keep in
mind that the sum of the charges in an ionic compound must equal zero.

Fe2+ +5^2- = FeS

Fe3+ +5^2-

Naming Ionic Compounds 1

Model 2 – Ionic Compound Names (Metals that form one ion)

NaCl Sodium chloride P
Zn3 2 Zinc phosphide
CaS Calcium sulfi de Al2O3 Aluminum oxide
Ag2S Silver sulfi de SrCl3 Strontium chloride
4. Circle the symbol for the metal in each of the compounds in Model 2.
5. Which element comes fi rst in the name and formula of the compounds in Model 2—the metal
or the nonmetal? Metal

6. Use the table of ions in Model 1 to answer the following questions:

a. In the compound zinc phosphide, what is the charge on the zinc ion?

Zn^2+

b. In the compound zinc phosphide, what is the charge on the phosphide ion? P 3-
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Because in order to have a change of zero you need 3 zinc giving 6+ and 2 phosphate is
giving 6-

7. Explain why a 3 to 2 ratio of ions is necessary for the compound zinc phosphide.

Because in order to have a change of zero you need 3 zinc giving 6+ and 2 phosphate is giving
6-

8. The compound carbon dioxide has a name that gives you a hint as to how many oxygen atoms
are in the compound. Is there anything in the name “zinc phosphide” that indicates there are
three zinc and two phosphorus ions in the formula unit? NO

9. Is there any other ratio of zinc and phosphorus ions that could exist? For instance, could you
have Zn2P or ZnP2? Explain your answer. No those would provide either a negative or
positive charge

10. Explain why you don’t need to specify the number of ions in the compound when you are
naming ionic substances like those in Model 2. Because there’s only one ratio that changes
the elements a charge of zero.

11. Model 2 is labeled “Metals that form one ion.” What other metals that also form only one ion
could be included in the Model 2 list? Model 1 may be helpful in this regard. Rubidium,
magnesium, beryllium

12. Describe how the names of the nonmetal elements in Model 2 are changed when they are in
their anion forms. End ide

13. Name the following ionic compounds using what you learned from Model 2.
Li2O lithium oxide MgF2 magnesium fluorideAl2S3 aluminum sukideK3N potassium nitride

2 POGIL™ Activities for High School Chemistry

14. Provide the chemical formula for each of the following ionic compounds.
Barium chloride BA CL2 Magnesium oxide MG 0
Andrew Fortney
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15. Consider the two chemical formulas you wrote in Question 3 for compounds of iron and
sulfur. Would the name “iron sulfi de” be sufficient to uniquely identify either of those
compounds? Explain. No because they are both compounds of iron sulfide

Read This!

When the metal in an ionic compound always forms an ion with the same charge, you need not
indicate that charge as part of the compound name. However, some atoms have the ability to form
more than one type of ion. This can make naming confusing. You can’t simply refer to a compound of
copper and oxygen as “copper oxide.” People won’t know which compound you are referring to—
CuO or Cu2O.

Model 3 – Ionic Compound Names (Metals that form multiple ions)

Cu2O Copper(I) oxide PbO Lead(II) oxide
CuO Copper(II) oxide PbO2 Lead(IV) oxide
SnF2 Tin(II) fl uoride FeCl2 Iron(II) chloride
SnF4 Tin(IV) fl uoride FeCl3 Iron(III) chloride
16. Model 3 is labeled “Metals that form multiple ions.” What other metals that form multiple
ions could be included in Model 3? Model 1 may be helpful in this regard. Nickel, mercury

17. Describe the most obvious difference between the names in Model 3 and those in Model 2.
There’s a roman numeral after the number

18. Do the Roman numerals in the names in Model 3 relate to the number of cations or number
of anions in the formula unit? Support your answer by citing two specific c examples. Anions
iron 3 chloride in fluoride
19. Keeping in mind that the sum of the charges in an ionic compound must equal zero, use the
chemical formulas in Model 3 to answer the following questions:
a. Identify the charge on the copper cations in copper(I) oxide and copper(II) oxide,
respectively. Ca1+ , C4^2+

b. Identify the charge on the iron cations in iron(II) chloride and iron(III) chloride,
respectively. Fe2+, Fe3+
Andrew Fortney
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Andrew Fortney
P.3

positive charge of the cation

Naming Ionic Compounds 3

21. Fill in the table below using what you’ve learned from Model 3.
Compound Charge on Cation Name of the Compound
PbCl4 Pb4+ Lead(IV) chloride
Fe2O3 Fe3+ Iron III oxide

SnO Sn2+ Tin I oxide

22 CuBr2 Ca2+ Copper II Bromide . For each of the

compounds in the
table below, determine the type of metal in the compound and then name the compound
using the correct naming method.
Metal forms Metal forms
Name
only one ion multiple ions
CaBr2 yes Calcium bromide

MgO yes Magnesium oxide

Ag3N yes Silver nitride

SnCl2 yes Tin chloride

CuF2 yes Copper fluoride

K3P yes Potassium phosphide

Zn3N2 yes Zinc nitride

HgO yes Mercury oxide

4 POGIL™ Activities for High School Chemistry