Appendix 1

‘O’ Level Chemistry

Appendix 1 – Naming Chemicals

 Naming of Ionic Compounds

- The name of ionic compounds usually consist of TWO parts
- It begins with :
 the metal and followed by the non-metal, OR
 the cation followed by the anion
- Cation
 Metal ion: the name of the metal
 The only non-metal cation: Ammonium
- Anion
 Usually a non-metal ion


Suffix Remarks
Compounds with only 2 elements.
-ide
e.g. Sodium oxide, sodium chloride (except sodium hydroxide)
Compounds with a negatively charged polyatomic ion containing oxygen.
-ate
e.g. sodium nitrate, magnesium sulfate, calcium carbonate.
-ic acid Names of acids. e.g. sulfuric acid

- But some compounds have common names which do not give information on what elements they
contain. E.g. glucose, water.

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