AP CHEM ION LIST

acetate C2H3O2- or CH3COO-

ammonium NH4+ Monotomic Ions - Most elements in the
representative groups (s & p block) will form
bicarbonate HCO3-
ions based on their valence electrons.
bisulfate HSO4-
Group 1 elements form 1+ ions
bromate BrO3-
Group 2 elements form 2+ ions
carbonate CO32- Group 13 elements form 3+ ions
Group 15 non-metals form 3- ions
chlorate ClO3-
Group 16 non-metals form 2- ions
chromate (yellow) CrO42- Group 17 elements form 1- ions
cyanide CN-
dichromate (orange) Cr2O72- Naming Acids
+ How do you know it’s an acid? The compound’s formula begins
hydronium H3O with an H, and water doesn’t count! Naming acids is extremely
hydroxide OH- easy if you know your polyatomic ions. There are three rules to
follow:
iodate IO3- • H + element: When the acid has only an element
nitrate NO3- following the H, use the prefix hydro-, followed by the
element’s root name and an -ic ending. HCl is
oxalate C2O42- hydrochloric acid; H2S is hydrosulfuric acid. When you
see an acid name beginning with hydro-, think: Caution,
permanganate (purple) MnO4- element approaching! HCN is an exception since it is a
polyatomic ion without oxygen, so it is named
peroxide O22- hydrocyanic acid.
phosphate PO43- • H + -ate polyatomic ion: If the acid has an -ate
+ polyatomic ion after the H, that makes it an -ic acid.
*silver Ag H2SO4 is sulfuric acid.
sulfate SO42-
• H + -ite polyatomic ion: When the acid has an -ite
thiosulfate S2O32- polyatomic ion after the H, that makes it an -ous acid.
H2SO3 is sulfurous acid.
thiocyanate SCN-
*zinc Zn2+

*These are transition metals that form only 1 monoatomic cation.

Some rules for naming other oxyanions Example Others you may see
Most common: -ate Iodate IO3- 2+
Cupric Cu (blue)
One less oxygen than –ate: -ite Iodite IO2- +
Cuprous Cu (green)
One less oxygen than –ite: hypo-root-ite hypoiodate IO- 3+
Ferric Fe (yellow)
One more oxygen than – ate: per-root-ate periodate IO4- 2+
Ferrous Fe (green)
2+
Nickel Ni (green)
All ions in the series keep the same charge 1-

With these rules, you can now name/identify many polyatomic ions