Common Polyatomic Ions And Their Corresponding Acids Chart
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1
2Common Polyatomic Ions and the Corresponding Acids
There is a pattern associated with many of the polyatomic ions in chemistry that can aid you when learning names
and the relationships with the corresponding acids. Some combinations of a central atom with oxygen are found
more often in nature, and they are designated the “common” form of the polyatomic... yet due to oxygen’s “social
nature”, several other combinations of the central atom with oxygen can exist. A pattern exists which relates the
number of oxygen atoms relative to the “common” form... and this pattern can be extended to a host of oxygen-
containing acids.
First, remember this phrase:
“Nick the Camel Brat ate Icky Clam for Supper in Phoenix”
This phrase helps you remember the central atom, the number of oxygen atoms in the “common” form of the
polyatomic, and the charge on the polyatomic ion. All of the common form polyatomic ions get an “ate” suffix.
• The number of consonants = the number of oxygen atoms in the common form of the
polyatomic ion
• The number of vowels = the negative charge on the polyatomic ion
-1
Nick = nitrate, NO
3
-2
Camel = carbonate, CO
3
-1
Brat = bromate, BrO
3
-1
Icky = iodate, IO
(note that y is a consonant and not a vowel in this context!)
3
-1
Clam = chlorate, ClO
3
-2
Supper = sulfate, SO
4
-3
Phoenix = phosphate, PO
4
-1
Polyatomic ions in the common form have an “ate” suffix (i.e. chlorate, ClO
)
•
3
Polyatomic ions with one more oxygen than the common form get a “per” prefix and an “ate” suffix (i.e.
•
-1
perchlorate, ClO
)
4
-1
Polyatomic ions with one less oxygen than the common form get an “ite” ending (i.e. chlorite, ClO
)
•
2
Polyatomic ions with two less oxygen atoms than the common form get a “hypo” prefix and the “ite”
•
-1
suffix (i.e. hypochlorite, ClO
)
The following table shows the various polyatomic ions and all of their known variations:
nitrogen
carbon
bromine
iodine
chlorine
sulfur
phosphorus
-2 oxygen
-
-
hypobromite,
hypoiodite,
hypochlorite,
-
-
-1
-1
-1
BrO
IO
ClO
-1 oxygen
nitrite,
-
bromite,
iodite,
chlorite,
sulfite,
phosphite,
-1
-1
-1
-1
-2
-3
NO
BrO
IO
ClO
SO
PO
2
2
2
2
3
3
common
nitrate,
carbonate,
bromate,
iodate,
chlorate,
sulfate,
phosphate,
-1
-2
-1
-1
-1
-2
-3
NO
CO
BrO
IO
ClO
SO
PO
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
+1 oxygen
-
-
perbromate,
periodate,
perchlorate,
-
-
-1
-1
-1
BrO
IO
ClO
4
4
4
Entries with a “-“ are not known to exist and can be ignored.
Page IV-2b-5 / Common Polyatomic Ions and Their Corresponding Acids
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