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Binary Ionic Compounds Overview

Jul 10, 2025

Overview

This lecture covered the naming and formulas of common binary ionic compounds, focusing on metals with nonmetals, anion suffixes, and key examples for chemistry students.

Naming Binary Ionic Compounds

  • Binary ionic compounds are made of a metal (cation) and a nonmetal (anion).
  • The cation is named first, followed by the anion.
  • The anion name typically ends with "-ide" (e.g., chloride, oxide, sulfide).
  • Examples: sodium chloride (NaCl), magnesium oxide (MgO), calcium bromide (CaBr₂).

Common Cations (Metals)

  • Sodium (Na⁺), potassium (K⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺), aluminum (Al³⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), lithium (Li⁺), zinc (Zn²⁺), barium (Ba²⁺).
  • The metal’s name stays the same in the compound.

Common Anions (Nonmetals)

  • Chloride (Cl⁻), bromide (Br⁻), iodide (I⁻), oxide (O²⁻), sulfide (S²⁻), nitride (N³⁻), hydride (H⁻), fluoride (F⁻), phosphide (P³⁻).
  • The nonmetal’s root name is used with "-ide" appended.

Examples of Compound Names and Formulas

  • Sodium chloride: NaCl
  • Potassium bromide: KBr
  • Magnesium oxide: MgO
  • Calcium sulfide: CaS
  • Aluminium chloride: AlCl₃
  • Lithium fluoride: LiF
  • Barium hydride: BaH₂
  • Calcium hydride: CaH₂
  • Aluminium tribromide: AlBr₃
  • Magnesium nitride: Mg₃N₂
  • Sodium sulfide: Na₂S

Notes on Polyatomic Ions and Variants

  • Some suffixes like "-ite" or "-ate" (e.g., sulfite, nitrite) refer to polyatomic ions, but main focus here is on "-ide" for binary compounds.
  • Prefixes (tri-, di-) indicate multiple atoms (e.g., aluminium tribromide: AlBr₃).

Key Terms & Definitions

  • Cation — Positively charged ion, typically a metal in ionic compounds.
  • Anion — Negatively charged ion, typically a nonmetal in ionic compounds.
  • Binary Ionic Compound — Compound containing only two elements: one metal and one nonmetal.
  • Suffix "-ide" — Indicates a simple anion formed from a nonmetal.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Practice writing names and formulas for given binary ionic compounds.
  • Review polyatomic ions and their naming conventions.
  • Complete assigned homework on compound naming.