5.

IONIC COMPOUNDS

The process in which an atom gains or loses electrons to

become more stable explains how some compounds are
formed.

An ionic compound is composed of positive and

negative ions.

Positively charged metals (cation) are attracted to

negatively charged nonmetals (anion) to form an ionic
compound. The attraction between the atoms of opposite
charges is called an ionic bond.

Example:

Na+ + Cl- Na+Cl-

positive metal negative nonmetal ionic

cmpd.
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Writing Formulas for Ionic Compounds

Step 1:
Write the chemical symbol for the metal, followed by the
chemical symbol for the nonmetal.
Step 2:
Write the charge of each ion as a superscript after the
symbol.

Step 3:
Use the crisscross method to fill in the number of atoms of
each element in the compound. The number is written as a
subscript. *Must be in the lowest form, therefore, reduce if
possible.

Examples: a) Write the formula for beryllium fluoride.

Step 1: Be F
Step 2: Be+2 F-1
Step 3: BeF2

b) Write the formula for nickel oxide.

Step 1: Ni O
Step 2: Ni+2 O-2
Step 3: Ni2O2
Reduce: NiO

c) Write the formula for copper (II) chloride

Step 1: Cu Cl
Step 2: Cu+2 Cl-1
Step 3: CuCl2
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Write the formulas for the following ionic compounds:

1)Roman numerals
aluminum sulfide indicate a multivalent atom.

2) tin (IV) oxide

3) calcium fluoride

4) potassium bromide

5) iron (III) phosphide

 5.8

Naming Ionic Compounds

The name of the metal is always first, followed by the

name of the nonmetal. The ending of the nonmetal is
changed to “ide”.

Nonmetal examples:

fluorine = fluoride chlorine = chloride

bromine = bromide oxygen = oxide

The ionic compound formed by sodium and sulfur is sodium

sulfide.

Naming Multivalent Ionic Compounds

Some metals can form more than one kind of ion when
combined to the same nonmetal. (CuCl is white while CuCl2
is yellow.) You have to use the Roman numeral system
when naming ions of metals that have more than one ionic
charge. Refer to handout: Oxidation Numbers when naming
these compounds.

Some Common Multivalent Metals

Element Symbol Ionic Charges Roman Num.

Copper Cu +1 +2 I II
Iron Fe +2 +3 II III
Lead Pb +2 +4 II IV
Tin Sn +2 +4 II IV
Palladium Pd +2 +4 II IV
Cobalt Co +2 +3 II III