Chemistry 121 – Names and Formulas

1. Names + spellings + symbols for these elements:

2. Names and formulas/charges of positive ions (cations)
non-metals main group metals + U transition metals with only one possible charge:

hydrogen H lithium Li scandium Sc Note that the word “ion” is part of each name, because these names without
helium He sodium Na titanium Ti that word means “the neutral metal.”
carbon C potassium K vanadium V
nitrogen N rubidium Rb chromium Cr a. Monatomic Cations: Name⟶Formula or Formula⟶Name
oxygen O cesium Cs manganese Mn
fluorine F iron Fe Main group species (first two columns and last six columns of periodic table):
neon Ne beryllium Be cobalt Co
magnesium Mg nickel Ni always 1+ always 2+ always 3+
phosphorus P calcium Ca copper Cu
sulfur S strontium Sr zinc Zn H+ hydrogen ion (proton)
chlorine Cl barium Ba palladium Pd Li+ lithium ion Be2+ beryllium ion
argon Ar silver Ag Na+ sodium ion Mg2+ magnesium ion Al3+ aluminum ion
cadmium Cd K+ potassium ion Ca2+ calcium ion
selenium Se aluminum Al tungsten W Rb+ rubidium ion Sr2+ strontium ion
bromine Br gallium Ga osmium Os Cs+ cesium ion Ba2+ barium ion
krypton Kr bismuth Bi platinum Pt
gold Au Transition metal cations (middle 10 columns of periodic table):
iodine I mercury Hg
xenon Xe lead Pb Ag+ silver ion Zn2+ zinc ion Other transition metals have
tin Sn Cd2+ cadmium ion multiple possibilities for charges,
radon Rn uranium U see #3, below.
b. Polyatomic Cations:

metalloids (main group only) H3O+ hydronium ion (often abbreviated as H+)
NH4+ ammonium ion
boron B Hg22+ mercury(I) ion (it’s a dimer of Hg+, two Hg+ always couple together!)
silicon Si
germanium Ge arsenic As
antimony Sb
tellurium Te

3. Names of metallic cations with multiple charge possibilities:

Metal ions with more than one possible charge are named by explicitly indicating the charge—via a Roman numeral in parentheses. Some examples are listed here. You need to be able
to identify any metal ion for metals listed in number 1, above, for example…in AuCl3 you would identify the gold(III) ion, Au3+.

Cu+ copper(I) ion Fe2+ iron(II) ion Hg22+ mercury(I) ion

Cu2+ copper(II) ion Fe3+ iron(III) ion Hg2+ mercury(II) ion

You need to be able to go from formula to name Note that the mercury(I)
or from name to formula. ion has two Hg together,
making it 2+, not 1+.
4. Names and formulas of common anions (negatively charged ions): 5. Traditional names and formulas of five molecules:

You need to be able to translate from Name⟶Formula and from Formula⟶Name H2O water
Note that formula includes charge! CH4 methane Note that all of these
N2O nitrous oxide atoms are non-metals.
a. Monatomic Anions O3 ozone
C60 buckminsterfullerene
1- charge 2- charge 3- charge
6. Names and formulas and strengths of common acids and bases:

Group 17: Group 16: Group 15: Memorize all names, formulas and strengths (strong or weak) of the acids and bases
listed here:
H  hydride
F  fluoride O2 oxide N3 nitride
Cl chloride S2 sulfide P3 phosphide
Br bromide
I  iodide

b. Polyatomic Anions

1- charge 2- charge 3- charge

OH  hydroxide O22 peroxide PO43 phosphate
CN  cyanide SO32 sulfite
OCN  cyanate SO42 sulfate
SCN  thiocyanate S2O32 thiosulfate

NO2 nitrite CrO42 chromate

NO3 nitrate Cr2O72 dichromate

MnO4 permanganate CO32 carbonate

C2O42 oxalate
ClO  hypochlorite
ClO2 chlorite HCO3 hydrogen carbonate or bicarbonate
ClO3 chlorate HSO4 hydrogen sulfate
ClO4 perchlorate

CH3CO2– or C2H3O2– acetate (first formula shows the

connectivity better)