Naming Acids

Front

Acid Noun

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[as-id]

Back

Acid

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An ionic compound that contains a hydrogen ion (H⁺¹) as its cation and is named based on its anion.

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Example: This diagram shows that an acidic solution will turn blue litmus paper red, which is a common test to identify if a substance is an acid.

Front

Cation Noun

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[kat-ahy-uhn]

Back

Cation

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An ion that has a positive electrical charge, such as the hydrogen ion (H⁺) found in all acids.

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Example: A neutral sodium atom loses one electron from its outer shell, resulting in more protons than electrons and creating a positively charged ion (cation).

Front

Anion Noun

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[an-ahy-uhn]

Back

Anion

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An ion that has a negative electrical charge, which is the part of an acid that determines its name.

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Example: A neutral chlorine atom gains an electron, giving it an overall negative charge and turning it into a chloride anion (Cl⁻).

Front

Monoprotic Adjective

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[mon-oh-proh-tik]

Back

Monoprotic

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Describes an acid that is capable of donating only one proton, or hydrogen ion (H⁺), to a base.

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Example: This model of a nitric acid (HNO₃) molecule shows it has only one hydrogen atom (white sphere), which it can donate as a proton, making it a monoprotic acid.

Front

Diprotic Adjective

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[dahy-proh-tik]

Back

Diprotic

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Describes an acid that has two ionizable hydrogen atoms in each molecule that it can donate as protons.

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Example: This image shows that a diprotic acid, represented by the general formula H₂A, is an acid that has two hydrogen atoms (protons) to donate.

Front

Triprotic Adjective

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[trahy-proh-tik]

Back

Triprotic

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Describes an acid that is capable of donating three protons, or hydrogen ions (H⁺), per molecule during a reaction.

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Example: This image shows two complex molecules. The circled 'H's represent the three protons (hydrogens) that each molecule can release, which is what 'triprotic' means.

Front

Polyatomic Ion Noun

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[pol-ee-uh-tom-ik ahy-uhn]

Back

Polyatomic Ion

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An ion that is composed of two or more atoms that are covalently bonded together and carry a net charge.

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Example: This image shows a nitrate ion, a group of one nitrogen and three oxygen atoms bonded together that acts as a single unit with a charge.

Front

Monatomic Ion Noun

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[mon-uh-tom-ik ahy-uhn]

Back

Monatomic Ion

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An ion that consists of a single atom which has gained or lost one or more electrons to acquire a charge.

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Example: A neutral sodium atom (11 protons, 11 electrons) loses one electron to become a positively charged monatomic sodium ion (11 protons, 10 electrons).

Front

Oxyacid Noun

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[ok-see-as-id]

Back

Oxyacid

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An acid that contains oxygen in addition to hydrogen and at least one other element, typically a nonmetal.

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Example: This image shows that an oxyacid contains hydrogen and a polyatomic ion with oxygen. It uses nitric acid (HNO3) as an example.

Front

Conjugate Acid Noun

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[kon-juh-git as-id]

Back

Conjugate Acid

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The chemical species that is formed when a base accepts a proton (H⁺) from an acid during a reaction.

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Example: The image shows a base (ammonia, NH₃) accepting a proton from an acid (water, H₂O), which turns the base into its corresponding conjugate acid (ammonium, NH₄⁺).