Common Ions Names Chart
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1
2Names of Common Ions
Monoatomic cations from representative metals (A families). Show only one charge (you do not need to state it).
2+
+
H
hydrogen ion (Exception, not a metal)
Mg
magnesium ion
+
2+
Li
lithium ion
Ca
calcium ion
2+
+
Na
sodium ion
Ba
barium ion
2+
+
K
potassium ion
Be
beryllium
3+
+
Cs
cesium ion
Al
aluminum ion
2+
+
Ag
silver ion (Exception, Family 1B)
Zn
zinc ion (Exception, Family 2B)
Monoatomic cations from transition metals (B families). Display more than one charge (you need to tell which one).
2+
3+
Fe
iron (II) or ferrous
Fe
iron (III) or ferric
2+
+
Cu
copper (I) or cuprous
Cu
copper (II) or cupric
2+
3+
Cr
chromium (II) or chromous
Cr
chromium (III) or chromic
2+
3+
Co
cobalt (II) or cobaltous
Co
cobalt (III) or cobaltic
2+
2+
Hg
mercury (I)
(Exception, two atoms)
Hg
mercury (II)
2
+
3+
Au
gold (I)
Au
gold (III)
3+
4+
Ti
titanium (III)
Ti
titanium (IV)
2+
4+
Pb
lead (II)
Pb
lead (IV) (Exception, Family 4A)
2+
4+
Sn
tin (II) or stannous
Sn
tin (IV) or stannic (Exception, Family 4A)
Monoatomic anions (nonmetals, the charge of these ions is given by their position on the periodic table).
–
2–
H
hydride (when attached to a metal)
O
oxide
–
2–
F
fluoride
O
peroxide
(Exception, two atoms)
2
–
2–
Cl
chloride
S
sulfide
–
3–
Br
bromide
N
nitride
–
3–
I
iodide
P
phosphide
Polyatomic Ions: You need to commit these ions to memory: their formula, name and charge. These general rules
will help you to memorize the majority of the polyatomic ions, go over them and check the examples that follow:
- Keep in mind the species of the family (a group of similar ions) that ends in –ate and use it as a starting point.
- For the ion that has one less oxygen than the one with –ate ending, change the –ate ending for –ite.
- If the ion has one more oxygen than the species that ends on –ate, add the prefix per– to the name.
- If the ion has one less oxygen than the species that ends on –ite, add the prefix hypo– to the name.
- If a name starts with thio–, it means you have to replace an O with a S.
+
- If a species you know captures an H
, modify the name with the hydrogen– or bi– prefixes.
+
- If a species you know captures two H
, modify the name with the dihydrogen– prefix.
–
2
CO
carbonate
3
–
HCO
hydrogen carbonate ( or bicarbonate)
3
–
–
2
SO
sulfate
HSO
hydrogen sulfate (bisulfate)
4
4
–
–
2
SO
sulfite
HSO
hydrogen sulfite (bisulfite)
3
3
–
–
ClO
perchlorate
These four ions apply
OCN
cyanate
4
–
–
ClO
chlorate
to all halogens, just
SCN
thiocyanate
3
–
–
2
ClO
chlorite
use the root of the
S
O
thiosulfate
3
2
2
–
ClO
hypochlorite
respective element. (Br, I)
1
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