Ionic Compound Naming Flashcards: Names, Formulas & Charge Balance
Practice ionic compound naming with 56 English flashcards on neutral formulas, Roman numerals, polyatomic-ion parentheses, and common errors.
Über dieses Lernkartenset
Practice ionic compound names and neutral formulas with 56 English flashcards. This focused deck is for high-school and introductory-college learners who know basic ions and want to apply charge balance consistently.
The cards practice names to formulas, selected formulas back to names, metal-charge inference, one polyatomic-group count, and short repairs of incorrect formulas or missing naming information. Ion charges and polyatomic-ion names are supplied where the target is applying a rule. This is compound-naming practice rather than a table of isolated ions; use the polyatomic ion flashcards for that prerequisite.
The sequence begins with neutrality, cation-first order, subscripts, and the smallest whole-number ratio of intact ions. Fixed-charge binary salts come next, followed by iron, copper, and tin Stock names. Polyatomic groups and ammonium then lead into mixed formula, naming, and error-repair prompts. Selected reverse directions and closely related variants are separated. Every card carries the ionic-naming tag; the review scheduler handles longer-term spacing.
Names follow the usual introductory convention: fixed-charge cations without Roman numerals, variable-charge monatomic metals with Stock Roman numerals, and familiar polyatomic-ion names. Aluminum and aluminium are accepted spelling variants; sodium hydrogen carbonate and sodium bicarbonate are both accepted. This convention does not exhaust all valid systematic names. Arbitrary name-to-example prompts and exhaustive reversals are omitted because they add ambiguity or repetition. Covalent naming, acids, hydrates, organic compounds, coordination complexes, peroxide and mercury(I) special cases, reactions, and solubility are outside this deck. No full-course or examination alignment is claimed.
The questions, explanations, order, and metadata were written independently with AI assistance. Naming and ion facts were checked against Purdue University’s ionic-naming rules and ion reference tables. No competitor cards, source exercise wording, examination questions, or source diagrams were copied. Reference works retain their own rights, and chemical facts are not claimed as proprietary. Original material, including the AI-generated decorative charge-symbol cover, is dedicated under CC0 1.0 to the extent applicable rights exist. This is independent study material without institutional endorsement.
Karten in diesem Lernkartenset
Karte 1
Frage
In a neutral ionic formula unit, what must the total ionic charge be?
Antwort
Zero. The positive and negative charges must cancel.
Karte 2
Frage
When naming a simple ionic compound, which ion is named first?
Antwort
The cation, followed by the anion.
Karte 3
Frage
Write the formula for lithium fluoride using Li⁺ and F⁻.
Antwort
LiF. One ion of each kind gives +1 − 1 = 0.
Karte 4
Frage
In CaCl₂, what does the subscript 2 count?
Antwort
Two chloride ions for each calcium ion. It does not mean that each chloride ion has a charge of −2.
Karte 5
Frage
Name MgO using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwort
Magnesium oxide. The ions are Mg²⁺ and O²⁻.
Karte 6
Frage
What is the smallest neutral ratio of Al³⁺ ions to O²⁻ ions?
Antwort
Two Al³⁺ ions to three O²⁻ ions: +6 and −6 cancel.
Karte 7
Frage
Write the formula for magnesium bromide using Mg²⁺ and Br⁻.
Antwort
MgBr₂. Two bromide ions balance one magnesium ion.
Karte 8
Frage
Name Na₂S using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwort
Sodium sulfide. The sulfur anion is called sulfide.
Karte 9
Frage
Write the simplest formula for calcium oxide using Ca²⁺ and O²⁻.
Antwort
CaO. Equal and opposite charges give a 1:1 ion ratio.
Karte 10
Frage
Write the formula for aluminum nitride using Al³⁺ and N³⁻.
Antwort
AlN. One ion of each kind is neutral. Aluminium nitride is the same compound, with the British spelling.
Karte 11
Frage
Name Mg₃N₂ using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwort
Magnesium nitride. Three Mg²⁺ ions balance two N³⁻ ions.
Karte 12
Frage
Write the formula for lithium oxide using Li⁺ and O²⁻.
Antwort
Li₂O. Two lithium ions balance one oxide ion.
Karte 13
Frage
Name CaF₂ using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwort
Calcium fluoride. This convention uses the ion names without a di- prefix for the two fluoride ions.
Karte 14
Frage
A student writes Mg₂O₂ for magnesium oxide, using Mg²⁺ and O²⁻. What is the simplest formula?
Antwort
MgO. The 2:2 ion ratio is neutral but reduces to 1:1.
Karte 15
Frage
Name Al₂S₃ using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwort
Aluminum sulfide (also spelled aluminium sulfide). Two Al³⁺ ions balance three S²⁻ ions.
Karte 16
Frage
Write the formula for sodium phosphide using Na⁺ and P³⁻.
Antwort
Na₃P. Three sodium ions balance one phosphide ion.
Karte 17
Frage
Name LiF using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwort
Lithium fluoride. Name the lithium cation first and the fluoride anion second.
Karte 18
Frage
Write the formula for magnesium oxide using Mg²⁺ and O²⁻.
Antwort
MgO. The smallest neutral ratio is one magnesium ion to one oxide ion.
Karte 19
Frage
In the Stock name iron(III) chloride, what does III specify?
Antwort
A +3 charge on each iron ion. For this monatomic ion, its charge equals its oxidation state; III is not an atom count.
Karte 20
Frage
Name FeCl₂ using Stock nomenclature. Chloride is Cl⁻.
Antwort
Iron(II) chloride. Two chloride ions total −2, so the iron ion is Fe²⁺.
Karte 21
Frage
What is the charge on each copper ion in Cu₂O, taking oxide as O²⁻?
Antwort
+1. The two copper ions together must supply +2, so each is Cu⁺.
Karte 22
Frage
Write the formula for tin(IV) oxide, using oxide O²⁻.
Antwort
SnO₂. One Sn⁴⁺ ion balances two oxide ions; reduce a crossed 2:4 ratio to 1:2.
Karte 23
Frage
Name Fe₂O₃ using Stock nomenclature. Oxide is O²⁻.
Antwort
Iron(III) oxide. Three oxide ions total −6; divided between two iron ions, that requires Fe³⁺.
Karte 24
Frage
Write the formula for copper(II) bromide, using bromide Br⁻.
Antwort
CuBr₂. One Cu²⁺ ion needs two bromide ions.
Karte 25
Frage
Name SnCl₂ using Stock nomenclature. Chloride is Cl⁻.
Antwort
Tin(II) chloride. Two Cl⁻ ions require one Sn²⁺ ion.
Karte 26
Frage
Write the formula for iron(II) chloride, using chloride Cl⁻.
Antwort
FeCl₂. One Fe²⁺ ion balances two chloride ions.
Karte 27
Frage
Name CuO using Stock nomenclature. Oxide is O²⁻.
Antwort
Copper(II) oxide. The 1:1 ratio requires Cu²⁺ to balance O²⁻.
Karte 28
Frage
Write the formula for iron(III) sulfide, using sulfide S²⁻.
Antwort
Fe₂S₃. Two Fe³⁺ ions supply +6 and three sulfide ions supply −6.
Karte 29
Frage
Why is the name copper chloride insufficient to choose a single formula in introductory Stock nomenclature?
Antwort
It omits the copper oxidation state. Copper(I) chloride is CuCl; copper(II) chloride is CuCl₂.
Karte 30
Frage
Name SnO₂ using Stock nomenclature. Oxide is O²⁻.
Antwort
Tin(IV) oxide. Two oxide ions total −4, so the tin ion is Sn⁴⁺.
Karte 31
Frage
A student labels Fe₂O₃ as iron(II) oxide. Keeping the name iron(II) oxide, what formula should replace it?
Antwort
FeO. Fe²⁺ and O²⁻ balance in a 1:1 ratio; Fe₂O₃ instead corresponds to iron(III) oxide.
Karte 32
Frage
Name CaCl₂ using the usual introductory fixed-charge convention.
Antwort
Calcium chloride. Calcium is treated as Ca²⁺, so this convention omits the Roman numeral. An explicit oxidation-state name is not a different compound.
Karte 33
Frage
Write the formula for sodium nitrate using Na⁺ and NO₃⁻.
Antwort
NaNO₃. One nitrate ion balances one sodium ion; keep the nitrate formula intact.
Karte 34
Frage
Name K₂CO₃. The polyatomic ion CO₃²⁻ is carbonate.
Antwort
Potassium carbonate. Two K⁺ ions balance one carbonate ion.
Karte 35
Frage
When writing a conventional ionic formula, when do you put a polyatomic ion in parentheses?
Antwort
When more than one of that whole ion is needed. Put the count outside the parentheses and leave the ion’s internal subscripts unchanged.
Karte 36
Frage
Write the formula for calcium hydroxide using Ca²⁺ and OH⁻.
Antwort
Ca(OH)₂. Two whole hydroxide ions balance one calcium ion.
Karte 37
Frage
Name NH₄Cl. NH₄⁺ is ammonium.
Antwort
Ammonium chloride. The cation is the whole NH₄⁺ ion, even though it contains no metal.
Karte 38
Frage
Write the formula for aluminum sulfate using Al³⁺ and SO₄²⁻.
Antwort
Al₂(SO₄)₃. Two aluminum ions supply +6 and three intact sulfate ions supply −6.
Karte 39
Frage
Name Mg(NO₃)₂. NO₃⁻ is nitrate.
Antwort
Magnesium nitrate. One Mg²⁺ ion is balanced by two nitrate ions.
Karte 40
Frage
Write the formula for ammonium phosphate using NH₄⁺ and PO₄³⁻.
Antwort
(NH₄)₃PO₄. Three ammonium ions balance one phosphate ion; only ammonium needs parentheses.
Karte 41
Frage
How many whole hydroxide ions are represented in one formula unit of Ba(OH)₂?
Antwort
Two hydroxide ions. The outer subscript multiplies the entire OH group, giving two O atoms and two H atoms.
Karte 42
Frage
Name Fe₂(SO₄)₃ using Stock nomenclature. SO₄²⁻ is sulfate.
Antwort
Iron(III) sulfate. Three sulfate ions total −6, so each of the two iron ions has charge +3.
Karte 43
Frage
Write the formula for calcium nitrate using Ca²⁺ and NO₃⁻.
Antwort
Ca(NO₃)₂. Two intact nitrate ions supply −2 to balance calcium’s +2.
Karte 44
Frage
Name (NH₄)₂SO₄. NH₄⁺ is ammonium and SO₄²⁻ is sulfate.
Antwort
Ammonium sulfate. Two ammonium ions balance one sulfate ion.
Karte 45
Frage
Write the formula for magnesium phosphate using Mg²⁺ and PO₄³⁻.
Antwort
Mg₃(PO₄)₂. Three magnesium ions and two phosphate ions give +6 and −6.
Karte 46
Frage
Name NaHCO₃. HCO₃⁻ is hydrogen carbonate, also called bicarbonate.
Antwort
Sodium hydrogen carbonate, also called sodium bicarbonate. HCO₃⁻ is one intact anion.
Karte 47
Frage
Repair AlOH₃ as the formula for aluminum hydroxide, using Al³⁺ and OH⁻.
Antwort
Al(OH)₃. Three whole hydroxide ions are needed. AlOH₃ fails to multiply the oxygen count along with the hydrogen count.
Karte 48
Frage
Write the formula for ammonium sulfite using NH₄⁺ and SO₃²⁻.
Antwort
(NH₄)₂SO₃. Two ammonium ions balance one sulfite ion; sulfite retains its three oxygen atoms.
Karte 49
Frage
Name Cu(NO₃)₂ using Stock nomenclature. NO₃⁻ is nitrate.
Antwort
Copper(II) nitrate. Two nitrate ions total −2, requiring Cu²⁺.
Karte 50
Frage
Write the formula for iron(III) sulfate, using sulfate SO₄²⁻.
Antwort
Fe₂(SO₄)₃. Two Fe³⁺ ions balance three sulfate ions.
Karte 51
Frage
Repair K(CO₃)₂ as the formula for potassium carbonate, using K⁺ and CO₃²⁻.
Antwort
K₂CO₃. Two potassium ions balance one carbonate ion. A single carbonate group needs no parentheses.
Karte 52
Frage
Can Mg(NO₃)₂ be simplified to MgNO₃ by removing the outer subscript? Use Mg²⁺ and NO₃⁻.
Antwort
No. The ion ratio is already 1:2. Removing the outer 2 would leave total charge +1 instead of zero.
Karte 53
Frage
Name Ca(OH)₂. OH⁻ is hydroxide.
Antwort
Calcium hydroxide. The two hydroxide ions balance one Ca²⁺ ion; the ion name stays hydroxide.
Karte 54
Frage
What is the charge on each copper ion in Cu₃(PO₄)₂, taking phosphate as PO₄³⁻?
Antwort
+2. Two phosphate ions total −6, shared equally among three copper ions as +2 each.
Karte 55
Frage
Write the formula for sodium nitrite using Na⁺ and NO₂⁻.
Antwort
NaNO₂. One nitrite ion balances one sodium ion. Keep NO₂⁻ intact; NO₃⁻ would be nitrate.
Karte 56
Frage
Repair NH₄SO₄ as the formula for ammonium sulfate, using NH₄⁺ and SO₄²⁻.
Antwort
(NH₄)₂SO₄. Two whole ammonium ions are required to balance one sulfate ion; the 2 goes outside the ammonium parentheses.
56 Karten
Ionic Compound Naming Flashcards: Names, Formulas & Charge Balance
Nibomo wird geöffnet, damit du mit dem Lernen beginnen kannst.