Naming Ionic and Covalent Compounds

Front

What is an ionic compound?

Back

An ionic compound is a chemical compound composed of ions held together by electrostatic forces termed ionic bonding. They typically form between metals and nonmetals.

Front

What is a covalent compound?

Back

A covalent compound is a chemical compound formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms, typically between nonmetals.

Front

How do you determine the formula of an ionic compound?

Back

The formula of an ionic compound is determined by the charges of the ions involved. The total positive charge must balance the total negative charge.

Front

What is the naming convention for ionic compounds?

Back

Ionic compounds are named by stating the name of the metal (cation) first, followed by the name of the nonmetal (anion) with its ending changed to '-ide'.

Front

What is the naming convention for covalent compounds?

Back

Covalent compounds are named using prefixes to indicate the number of atoms of each element, followed by the name of the first element and the second element with an '-ide' ending.

Front

What is the formula for water?

Back

The formula for water is H₂O.

Front

What is the formula for carbon dioxide?

Back

The formula for carbon dioxide is CO₂.

Front

What is the prefix for 3 in covalent compound naming?

Back

The prefix for 3 is 'tri-'.

Front

What is the prefix for 8 in covalent compound naming?

Back

The prefix for 8 is 'octa-'.

Front

What is the name of the compound with the formula N₂O₄?

Back

The name of the compound is dinitrogen tetroxide.