Question

Name each of the following ionic compounds. a. \(\mathrm{K}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) b. \(\mathrm{CaCl}_{2}\) c. \(\mathrm{Mg}_{3} \mathrm{N}_{2}\) d. NaClo e. \(\mathrm{KNO}_{3}\)

Short answer

The ionic compound names are: a. Potassium Oxide b. Calcium Chloride c. Magnesium Nitride d. Sodium Hypochlorite e. Potassium Nitrate

Step-by-step solution

Identify the cation and anion of each compound

For each compound, identify the cation, the first element in the formula, and the anion, the second element in the formula. a. \(\mathrm{K}_{2} \mathrm{O}\): Cation - K (Potassium), Anion - O (Oxygen) b. \(\mathrm{CaCl}_{2}\): Cation - Ca (Calcium), Anion - Cl (Chlorine) c. \(\mathrm{Mg}_{3} \mathrm{N}_{2}\): Cation - Mg (Magnesium), Anion - N (Nitrogen) d. NaClO: Cation - Na (Sodium), Anion - ClO (Chlorine and Oxygen) e. \(\mathrm{KNO}_{3}\): Cation - K (Potassium), Anion - NO3 (Nitrogen and Oxygen)

Identify the anion's correct name

For each compound, determine the anion's correct name, including polyatomic ions. a. O - Oxide b. Cl - Chloride c. N - Nitride d. ClO - Hypochlorite (polyatomic ion) e. NO3 - Nitrate (polyatomic ion)

Combine the names of cation and anion

For each compound, combine the names of the cation and the anion to determine the name of the ionic compound. a. Potassium Oxide b. Calcium Chloride c. Magnesium Nitride d. Sodium Hypochlorite e. Potassium Nitrate The ionic compound names are: a. Potassium Oxide b. Calcium Chloride c. Magnesium Nitride d. Sodium Hypochlorite e. Potassium Nitrate

Key concepts

Cation and Anion Identification

In the realm of chemistry, understanding how to identify cations and anions is fundamental for naming ionic compounds, which are substances consisting of positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions). Cations are typically metal ions like Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), and Magnesium (Mg), and they are named using the element's name.

The anions are usually non-metals or polyatomic ions like Oxygen (O), Chlorine (Cl), and Nitrogen (N). When they stand alone as anions, they often end with the suffix '-ide', such as Oxide for O^2-, Chloride for Cl^-, and Nitride for N^3-. Through the example of \(\mathrm{K}_{2} \mathrm{O}\), we can easily recognize that \(\mathrm{K}\) is the cation Potassium and \(\mathrm{O}\) is the anion, which upon gaining electrons becomes Oxide. Recognizing the charges of cations and anions is essential for understanding their combining ratios to form neutral compounds.

Polyatomic Ions

Unlike simple anions and cations, polyatomic ions are groups of atoms that carry a charge and act as a single charged unit. These are crucial to know because they are often found in various ionic compounds. Polyatomic ions have specific names and formulas you must memorize, such as Nitrate \(\mathrm{NO}_{3}^{-}\) and Hypochlorite \(\mathrm{ClO}^{-}\).

One common example of a polyatomic anion is Nitrate, which is composed of one Nitrogen atom and three Oxygen atoms. In the exercise, \(\mathrm{KNO}_{3}\) is named Potassium Nitrate, because it contains the potassium cation and the nitrate anion. Another example is Hypochlorite, a polyatomic anion present in \(\text{NaClO}\), resulting in the compound's name, Sodium Hypochlorite. Polyatomic ions can completely change the naming of a compound, so identifying them correctly is a must for proper chemical nomenclature.

Chemical Nomenclature

Chemical nomenclature is the standardized system for naming chemical compounds. It is essential for students to learn these rules in order to communicate effectively about chemistry. For ionic compounds, it's a matter of pairing the cation's name with the anion's name, or the polyatomic ion's name as seen in the step by step solutions provided.

For a simple ionic compound like \(\mathrm{CaCl}_{2}\), we use the cation's name directly (Calcium), followed by the base name of the anion plus the suffix '-ide' (Chloride), giving us Calcium Chloride. It's worth noting that the amount of each ion is based on charge balance. The nomenclature for compounds with polyatomic ions like Potassium Nitrate (\(\mathrm{KNO}_{3}\)) follows the same pattern: the cation's name (Potassium) followed by the polyatomic ion's name (Nitrate).

It's important for students to pay careful attention to the naming conventions, along with recognizing the presence of polyatomic ions within compounds and their respective charges, to name ionic compounds accurately. Deep understanding of chemical nomenclature fosters clear and accurate communication in the field of chemistry.