Positive Ions

(Cations)

Monatomic Polyatomic

Only One Ion More Than One

Possible Ion Possible Rule: Cations formed from
(transition metals) nonmetal atoms have names
that end in –ium
Rule:
Name of element + ion Rule: Examples:
Positive charges NH4+ ammonium ion
Examples: indicated by a Roman H3O+ hydronium ion
Na+ sodium ion numeral Hg2+2 mercury(I) ion
Mg+2 magnesium ion
H+ hydrogen ion Examples:
Fe+2 iron(II) ion
Fe+3 iron(III) ion
Cu+ copper(I) ion
Cu+2 copper(II) ion

Negative Ions
(Anions)

Monatomic Oxyanions Oxyanions Others and

(Containing Oxygen) (Containing Hydrogen) Exceptions

Rule: Rule: Rule: Rule:

Stem of the Least oxygen: hypo_ite ion H oxyanion: “hydrogen” These items do not
element name Less oxygen: _ite ion + name of oxyanion or follow any rules;
+ ide More oxygen: _ate ion “bi” + oxyanion they must be
Most oxygen: per_ate ion H2 oxyanion: “dihyrogen” memorized.
Examples: + name of oxyanion
H- hydride ion Examples: Examples:
F- fluoride ion ClO- hypochlorite ion Examples: OH- hydroxide
O-2 oxide ion -
ClO2 chlorite ion HCO3- hydrogen carbonate ion
N-3 nitride ion ClO3- chlorate ion ion or bicarbonate ion CN- cyanide ion
ClO4- perchlorate ion -
HSO4 hydrogen sulfate ion SCN- thiocyanate
SO3-2 sulfate ion or bisulfate ion ion
SO4-2 sulfite ion H2PO4- dihydrogen O2-2 peroxide
phosphate ion ion
Comment: Halogens (except Comment: C2H3O2- acetate
F) form all four ions. Most H2CO3 is not named ion
others only form two ions, according to this rule because
the _ite and the _ate ions. it is a compound, not an ion.