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.
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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.
Kaarten in dit deck
Kaart 1
Vraag
In a neutral ionic formula unit, what must the total ionic charge be?
Antwoord
Zero. The positive and negative charges must cancel.
Kaart 2
Vraag
When naming a simple ionic compound, which ion is named first?
Antwoord
The cation, followed by the anion.
Kaart 3
Vraag
Write the formula for lithium fluoride using Li⁺ and F⁻.
Antwoord
LiF. One ion of each kind gives +1 − 1 = 0.
Kaart 4
Vraag
In CaCl₂, what does the subscript 2 count?
Antwoord
Two chloride ions for each calcium ion. It does not mean that each chloride ion has a charge of −2.
Kaart 5
Vraag
Name MgO using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwoord
Magnesium oxide. The ions are Mg²⁺ and O²⁻.
Kaart 6
Vraag
What is the smallest neutral ratio of Al³⁺ ions to O²⁻ ions?
Antwoord
Two Al³⁺ ions to three O²⁻ ions: +6 and −6 cancel.
Kaart 7
Vraag
Write the formula for magnesium bromide using Mg²⁺ and Br⁻.
Antwoord
MgBr₂. Two bromide ions balance one magnesium ion.
Kaart 8
Vraag
Name Na₂S using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwoord
Sodium sulfide. The sulfur anion is called sulfide.
Kaart 9
Vraag
Write the simplest formula for calcium oxide using Ca²⁺ and O²⁻.
Antwoord
CaO. Equal and opposite charges give a 1:1 ion ratio.
Kaart 10
Vraag
Write the formula for aluminum nitride using Al³⁺ and N³⁻.
Antwoord
AlN. One ion of each kind is neutral. Aluminium nitride is the same compound, with the British spelling.
Kaart 11
Vraag
Name Mg₃N₂ using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwoord
Magnesium nitride. Three Mg²⁺ ions balance two N³⁻ ions.
Kaart 12
Vraag
Write the formula for lithium oxide using Li⁺ and O²⁻.
Antwoord
Li₂O. Two lithium ions balance one oxide ion.
Kaart 13
Vraag
Name CaF₂ using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwoord
Calcium fluoride. This convention uses the ion names without a di- prefix for the two fluoride ions.
Kaart 14
Vraag
A student writes Mg₂O₂ for magnesium oxide, using Mg²⁺ and O²⁻. What is the simplest formula?
Antwoord
MgO. The 2:2 ion ratio is neutral but reduces to 1:1.
Kaart 15
Vraag
Name Al₂S₃ using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwoord
Aluminum sulfide (also spelled aluminium sulfide). Two Al³⁺ ions balance three S²⁻ ions.
Kaart 16
Vraag
Write the formula for sodium phosphide using Na⁺ and P³⁻.
Antwoord
Na₃P. Three sodium ions balance one phosphide ion.
Kaart 17
Vraag
Name LiF using the usual fixed-charge ionic naming convention.
Antwoord
Lithium fluoride. Name the lithium cation first and the fluoride anion second.
Kaart 18
Vraag
Write the formula for magnesium oxide using Mg²⁺ and O²⁻.
Antwoord
MgO. The smallest neutral ratio is one magnesium ion to one oxide ion.
Kaart 19
Vraag
In the Stock name iron(III) chloride, what does III specify?
Antwoord
A +3 charge on each iron ion. For this monatomic ion, its charge equals its oxidation state; III is not an atom count.
Kaart 20
Vraag
Name FeCl₂ using Stock nomenclature. Chloride is Cl⁻.
Antwoord
Iron(II) chloride. Two chloride ions total −2, so the iron ion is Fe²⁺.
Kaart 21
Vraag
What is the charge on each copper ion in Cu₂O, taking oxide as O²⁻?
Antwoord
+1. The two copper ions together must supply +2, so each is Cu⁺.
Kaart 22
Vraag
Write the formula for tin(IV) oxide, using oxide O²⁻.
Antwoord
SnO₂. One Sn⁴⁺ ion balances two oxide ions; reduce a crossed 2:4 ratio to 1:2.
Kaart 23
Vraag
Name Fe₂O₃ using Stock nomenclature. Oxide is O²⁻.
Antwoord
Iron(III) oxide. Three oxide ions total −6; divided between two iron ions, that requires Fe³⁺.
Kaart 24
Vraag
Write the formula for copper(II) bromide, using bromide Br⁻.
Antwoord
CuBr₂. One Cu²⁺ ion needs two bromide ions.
Kaart 25
Vraag
Name SnCl₂ using Stock nomenclature. Chloride is Cl⁻.
Antwoord
Tin(II) chloride. Two Cl⁻ ions require one Sn²⁺ ion.
Kaart 26
Vraag
Write the formula for iron(II) chloride, using chloride Cl⁻.
Antwoord
FeCl₂. One Fe²⁺ ion balances two chloride ions.
Kaart 27
Vraag
Name CuO using Stock nomenclature. Oxide is O²⁻.
Antwoord
Copper(II) oxide. The 1:1 ratio requires Cu²⁺ to balance O²⁻.
Kaart 28
Vraag
Write the formula for iron(III) sulfide, using sulfide S²⁻.
Antwoord
Fe₂S₃. Two Fe³⁺ ions supply +6 and three sulfide ions supply −6.
Kaart 29
Vraag
Why is the name copper chloride insufficient to choose a single formula in introductory Stock nomenclature?
Antwoord
It omits the copper oxidation state. Copper(I) chloride is CuCl; copper(II) chloride is CuCl₂.
Kaart 30
Vraag
Name SnO₂ using Stock nomenclature. Oxide is O²⁻.
Antwoord
Tin(IV) oxide. Two oxide ions total −4, so the tin ion is Sn⁴⁺.
Kaart 31
Vraag
A student labels Fe₂O₃ as iron(II) oxide. Keeping the name iron(II) oxide, what formula should replace it?
Antwoord
FeO. Fe²⁺ and O²⁻ balance in a 1:1 ratio; Fe₂O₃ instead corresponds to iron(III) oxide.
Kaart 32
Vraag
Name CaCl₂ using the usual introductory fixed-charge convention.
Antwoord
Calcium chloride. Calcium is treated as Ca²⁺, so this convention omits the Roman numeral. An explicit oxidation-state name is not a different compound.
Kaart 33
Vraag
Write the formula for sodium nitrate using Na⁺ and NO₃⁻.
Antwoord
NaNO₃. One nitrate ion balances one sodium ion; keep the nitrate formula intact.
Kaart 34
Vraag
Name K₂CO₃. The polyatomic ion CO₃²⁻ is carbonate.
Antwoord
Potassium carbonate. Two K⁺ ions balance one carbonate ion.
Kaart 35
Vraag
When writing a conventional ionic formula, when do you put a polyatomic ion in parentheses?
Antwoord
When more than one of that whole ion is needed. Put the count outside the parentheses and leave the ion’s internal subscripts unchanged.
Kaart 36
Vraag
Write the formula for calcium hydroxide using Ca²⁺ and OH⁻.
Antwoord
Ca(OH)₂. Two whole hydroxide ions balance one calcium ion.
Kaart 37
Vraag
Name NH₄Cl. NH₄⁺ is ammonium.
Antwoord
Ammonium chloride. The cation is the whole NH₄⁺ ion, even though it contains no metal.
Kaart 38
Vraag
Write the formula for aluminum sulfate using Al³⁺ and SO₄²⁻.
Antwoord
Al₂(SO₄)₃. Two aluminum ions supply +6 and three intact sulfate ions supply −6.
Kaart 39
Vraag
Name Mg(NO₃)₂. NO₃⁻ is nitrate.
Antwoord
Magnesium nitrate. One Mg²⁺ ion is balanced by two nitrate ions.
Kaart 40
Vraag
Write the formula for ammonium phosphate using NH₄⁺ and PO₄³⁻.
Antwoord
(NH₄)₃PO₄. Three ammonium ions balance one phosphate ion; only ammonium needs parentheses.
Kaart 41
Vraag
How many whole hydroxide ions are represented in one formula unit of Ba(OH)₂?
Antwoord
Two hydroxide ions. The outer subscript multiplies the entire OH group, giving two O atoms and two H atoms.
Kaart 42
Vraag
Name Fe₂(SO₄)₃ using Stock nomenclature. SO₄²⁻ is sulfate.
Antwoord
Iron(III) sulfate. Three sulfate ions total −6, so each of the two iron ions has charge +3.
Kaart 43
Vraag
Write the formula for calcium nitrate using Ca²⁺ and NO₃⁻.
Antwoord
Ca(NO₃)₂. Two intact nitrate ions supply −2 to balance calcium’s +2.
Kaart 44
Vraag
Name (NH₄)₂SO₄. NH₄⁺ is ammonium and SO₄²⁻ is sulfate.
Antwoord
Ammonium sulfate. Two ammonium ions balance one sulfate ion.
Kaart 45
Vraag
Write the formula for magnesium phosphate using Mg²⁺ and PO₄³⁻.
Antwoord
Mg₃(PO₄)₂. Three magnesium ions and two phosphate ions give +6 and −6.
Kaart 46
Vraag
Name NaHCO₃. HCO₃⁻ is hydrogen carbonate, also called bicarbonate.
Antwoord
Sodium hydrogen carbonate, also called sodium bicarbonate. HCO₃⁻ is one intact anion.
Kaart 47
Vraag
Repair AlOH₃ as the formula for aluminum hydroxide, using Al³⁺ and OH⁻.
Antwoord
Al(OH)₃. Three whole hydroxide ions are needed. AlOH₃ fails to multiply the oxygen count along with the hydrogen count.
Kaart 48
Vraag
Write the formula for ammonium sulfite using NH₄⁺ and SO₃²⁻.
Antwoord
(NH₄)₂SO₃. Two ammonium ions balance one sulfite ion; sulfite retains its three oxygen atoms.
Kaart 49
Vraag
Name Cu(NO₃)₂ using Stock nomenclature. NO₃⁻ is nitrate.
Antwoord
Copper(II) nitrate. Two nitrate ions total −2, requiring Cu²⁺.
Kaart 50
Vraag
Write the formula for iron(III) sulfate, using sulfate SO₄²⁻.
Antwoord
Fe₂(SO₄)₃. Two Fe³⁺ ions balance three sulfate ions.
Kaart 51
Vraag
Repair K(CO₃)₂ as the formula for potassium carbonate, using K⁺ and CO₃²⁻.
Antwoord
K₂CO₃. Two potassium ions balance one carbonate ion. A single carbonate group needs no parentheses.
Kaart 52
Vraag
Can Mg(NO₃)₂ be simplified to MgNO₃ by removing the outer subscript? Use Mg²⁺ and NO₃⁻.
Antwoord
No. The ion ratio is already 1:2. Removing the outer 2 would leave total charge +1 instead of zero.
Kaart 53
Vraag
Name Ca(OH)₂. OH⁻ is hydroxide.
Antwoord
Calcium hydroxide. The two hydroxide ions balance one Ca²⁺ ion; the ion name stays hydroxide.
Kaart 54
Vraag
What is the charge on each copper ion in Cu₃(PO₄)₂, taking phosphate as PO₄³⁻?
Antwoord
+2. Two phosphate ions total −6, shared equally among three copper ions as +2 each.
Kaart 55
Vraag
Write the formula for sodium nitrite using Na⁺ and NO₂⁻.
Antwoord
NaNO₂. One nitrite ion balances one sodium ion. Keep NO₂⁻ intact; NO₃⁻ would be nitrate.
Kaart 56
Vraag
Repair NH₄SO₄ as the formula for ammonium sulfate, using NH₄⁺ and SO₄²⁻.
Antwoord
(NH₄)₂SO₄. Two whole ammonium ions are required to balance one sulfate ion; the 2 goes outside the ammonium parentheses.
56 kaarten
Ionic Compound Naming Flashcards: Names, Formulas & Charge Balance
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