To name these chemical compounds, we follow a few simple rules for ionic compounds (compounds made of a metal and a non-metal):
1.
Name the metal first: Use the full name of the element.
2.
Name the non-metal second: Change the ending of the element's name to
-ide.
* Oxygen becomes Oxide
* Chlorine becomes Chloride
* Sulfur becomes Sulfide
* Bromine becomes Bromide
* Iodine becomes Iodide
* Nitrogen becomes Nitride
* Phosphorus becomes Phosphide
3.
Check for Roman Numerals: If the metal is a transition metal (like Iron, Copper, or Cobalt) that can have different charges, you must include a Roman numeral in parentheses to show its charge. We figure this out by balancing the charge of the non-metal.
* *Note:* Metals like Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Zinc (Zn), Silver (Ag), and Beryllium (Be) usually have only one fixed charge, so they do
not need Roman numerals.
Let's solve them one by one:
Left Column:
1.
FeO:
* Metal: Iron (Fe). Non-metal: Oxygen (O).
* Oxygen has a charge of -2. To balance it, Iron must be +2.
* Name:
Iron(II) oxide
2.
NaCl:
* Metal: Sodium (Na). Non-metal: Chlorine (Cl).
* Sodium is fixed (+1), so no Roman numeral needed.
* Name:
Sodium chloride
3.
CuBr₂:
* Metal: Copper (Cu). Non-metal: Bromine (Br).
* Bromine has a charge of -1. There are two bromines, so total negative charge is -2.
* Copper must be +2 to balance it.
* Name:
Copper(II) bromide
4.
ZnO:
* Metal: Zinc (Zn). Non-metal: Oxygen (O).
* Zinc always has a +2 charge, so no Roman numeral is typically used in standard naming conventions for zinc.
* Name:
Zinc oxide
5.
K₃P:
* Metal: Potassium (K). Non-metal: Phosphorus (P).
* Name:
Potassium phosphide
Right Column:
6.
CaS:
* Metal: Calcium (Ca). Non-metal: Sulfur (S).
* Name:
Calcium sulfide
7.
Ag₂S:
* Metal: Silver (Ag). Non-metal: Sulfur (S).
* Silver almost always has a +1 charge, so no Roman numeral is needed.
* Name:
Silver sulfide
8.
CoI₃:
* Metal: Cobalt (Co). Non-metal: Iodine (I).
* Iodine has a charge of -1. There are three iodines, so total negative charge is -3.
* Cobalt must be +3 to balance it.
* Name:
Cobalt(III) iodide
9.
Be₃N₂:
* Metal: Beryllium (Be). Non-metal: Nitrogen (N).
* Name:
Beryllium nitride
10.
NaCl:
* This is the same as number 2.
* Name:
Sodium chloride
Final Answer:
FeO:
Iron(II) oxide
NaCl:
Sodium chloride
CuBr₂:
Copper(II) bromide
ZnO:
Zinc oxide
K₃P:
Potassium phosphide
CaS:
Calcium sulfide
Ag₂S:
Silver sulfide
CoI₃:
Cobalt(III) iodide
Be₃N₂:
Beryllium nitride
NaCl:
Sodium chloride
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of nomenclature practice worksheet.
