Naming

• Chemical Nomenclature


  A set of rules to generate systematic names for any chemical compound
• Chemical Nomenclature


  • The rules for chemical nomenclature is created and developed by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
  • There are different rules for writing the chemical name and chemical formula of: Ions (monoatomic and polyatomic ions), Ionic compound, Covalent compound
• Naming Ions


  1. When nonmetals gain electrons they become ions, and their name does change

  2. Changing the name of nonmetals: root of element name + -ide = name of ion
• Naming Ions


  • The name of chlorine's ion: chlor- + -ide = chloride
  • The name of nitrogen's ion: nitr- + -ide = nitride
• Polyatomic ions


  Ions that form after elements have shared electrons
• Naming Ionic Compound


  1. Step 1: Write the name of the metal ion

  2. Step 2: Write the name of the nonmetal ion

  3. Step 3: YOU ARE DONE!
• Naming Ionic Compound


  • CaBr2: calcium bromide
  • NaF: sodium fluoride
• Naming Ionic Compounds with Polyatomic ion


  1. Step 1: Write the name of the cation

  2. Step 2: Write the name of the anion

  3. Step 3: YOU ARE DONE!
• Naming Ionic Compounds with Polyatomic ion

  • NH4F: ammonium fluoride
  • CaSO4: calcium sulfate
• Naming Ionic Compounds with multivalent metals (transition metals)


  1. Step 1: Write the name of the cation with the charge written using Roman numerals in parentheses

  2. Step 2: Write the name of the anion

  3. Step 3: YOU ARE DONE!
• Naming Ionic Compounds with multivalent metals (transition metals)


  • FeCl3: Iron (III) chloride
• Writing chemical formula of Ionic Compound

  1. Step 1: Write the symbol of the metal ion

  2. Step 2: Write the symbol of the nonmetal ion

  3. Step 3: Determine the charges using the periodic table

  4. Step 4: Determine the formula from the ions
• Writing chemical formula of Ionic Compound

  • MgI2: magnesium iodide
  • Li2S: lithium sulfide
• Numerical prefixes for naming covalent compounds

  1 = mono-, 2 = di-, 3 = tri-, 4 = tetra-, 5 = penta-, 6 = hexa-, 7 = hepta-, 8 = octa-, 9 = nona-, 10 = deca-
• Naming Covalent Compound


  • CO: Carbon monoxide
  • CO2: Carbon dioxide
• Writing chemical formula of Covalent Compound

  • SO2: sulfur dioxide
  • SeBr4: selenium tetrabromide