Nomenclature of Inorganic Compounds Molecular compounds and ionic compounds are two general types of chemical compounds.

The former consists of individual molecules, such as water, and the latter is made of the positively and negatively charged ions, such as table salt. When metals react with nonmetals, the metal atoms usually lose electrons to form positive ions or cations. Cations always have fewer electrons than protons. Monoatomic ions are single atoms that have lost or gained electrons. The quantity of positive/negative charges on monoatomic ions equals the number of electrons lost/gained; for example, sodium ion (Na+) lost one electron, and chloride ion (Cl-) gained one electron. Polyatomic ions consist of charged, covalently bonded groups of two or more atoms that bear a net electrical charge, such as ammonium ion (NH4+) and hydrogen phosphate ion (HPO42-). To be successful with questions dealing with nomenclature, it is important to know the names, formulas, and charges of the common ions listed in Tables 3.1 and 3.2. Due to the fact that there is no systematic way of naming the polyatomic ions themselves, it is necessary to memorize the names, formulas, and charges of the common ones listed in table 3.2. Oxidation and reduction Oxidation numbers are used to keep track of electrons in redox reactions and do not necessarily imply ionic charge. You can use the following rules to determine oxidation numbers. 1. An atom in its elemental state has an oxidation number of zero (0). For example, hydrogen in H2, phosphorous in P4, aluminum in metallic Al, or bromine in Br2, all have the same oxidation number of 0. 2. An atom in a monoatomic ion has an oxidation number identical to its charge. For example, the oxidation number of Fe2+ is +2, that of Fe3+ is +3, and that of O2- is -2. 3. Oxygen (O) has an oxidation number of -2, except in peroxide (O22-), such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), in which it is -1. 4. Hydrogen (H) has an oxidation number of +1, unless it is combined with metals in binary compounds, such as NaH or CaH2, in which case its oxidation number is -1. 5. Fluorine (F) has an oxidation number of -1 in all its compounds. Other halogens (Cl, Br, and I) have negative oxidation numbers when they occur as halide ions in their compounds. When combined with oxygen (O), they have positive oxidation numbers. 6. In binary compounds, atoms of Group 6A elements (O, S, Se, Te) have an oxidation number of 2 except when combined with oxygen (O) for halogens, where the Group 6A elements have positive oxidation numbers. 7. The algebraic sum of the oxidation numbers in a neutral molecule must be zero. In a polyatomic ion, the sum must be equal to the net charge of the ion.