Naming Chemical Compounds

(Ionic and Covalent)

The following are a good mix of naming and formula writing problems to help you get some
practice. I will expect that you know how to name both ionic and covalent compounds in your
work.

Name the following chemical compounds:

1) NaBr ______________________________________________
3) P
2
O
5
______________________________________________
4) Ti(SO
4
)
2
______________________________________________
5) FePO
4
______________________________________________
6) K
3
N ______________________________________________
7) SO
2
______________________________________________
8) CuOH ______________________________________________
9) Zn(NO
2
)
2
______________________________________________
10) V
2
S
3
______________________________________________

Write the formulas for the following chemical compounds:

11) silicon dioxide ______________________________________________
12) nickel (III) sulfide _____________________________________________
13) manganese (II) phosphate _____________________________________
15) diboron tetrabromide __________________________________________
16) magnesium sulfate heptahydrate ________________________________
17) potassium carbonate __________________________________________
18) ammonium oxide ____________________________________________
19) tin (IV) selenide ______________________________________________
20) carbon tetrachloride __________________________________________
Answers Naming Chemical Compounds
Name the following chemical compounds:

1) NaBr sodium bromide
3) P
2
O
5
diphosphorus pentoxide
4) Ti(SO
4
)
2
titanium(IV) sulfate
5) FePO
4
iron(III) phosphate
6) K
3
N potassium nitride
7) SO
2
sulfur dioxide
8) CuOH copper(I) hydroxide
9) Zn(NO
2
)
2
zinc nitrite
10) V
2
S
3
vanadium(III) sulfide

Write the formulas for the following chemical compounds:

11) silicon dioxide SiO
2

12) nickel (III) sulfide Ni
2
S
3

13) manganese (II) phosphate Mn
3
(PO
4
)
2

15) diboron tetrabromide B
2
Br
4

16) magnesium sulfate heptahydrate MgSO
4
.
7H
2
O
17) potassium carbonate K
2
CO
3

18) ammonium oxide (NH
4
)
2
O
19) tin (IV) selenide SnSe
2

20) carbon tetrachloride CCl
4


Covalent Compounds Worksheet
1) Name the following covalent compounds:

a) SiF
4
__________________________________________________
b) N
2
S
3
_________________________________________________
c) HBr __________________________________________________
d) Br
2
__________________________________________________

2) Write the formulas for the following covalent compounds:

a) diboron hexahydride ____________________________________
b) nitrogen tribromide ______________________________________
c) sulfur hexachloride ______________________________________
d) diphosphorus pentoxide __________________________________

3) List three differences between ionic and covalent compounds:

1.
2.
3.


4) Explain why ionic compounds are formed when a metal bonds with a nonmetal but
covalent compounds are formed when two nonmetals bond.






5) What are the chemical formulas of the following molecules?

a) carbon disulfide ________________________________________
b) boron trifluoride ________________________________________
c) carbon tetrafluoride _____________________________________

Covalent Compounds Worksheet - Key

1) Name the following covalent compounds:

a) SiF
4
silicon tetrafluoride
b) N
2
S
3
dinitrogen trisulfide
c) HBr hydrogen bromide (or hydrobromic acid)
d) Br
2
bromine

2) Write the formulas for the following covalent compounds:

a) diboron hexahydride B
2
H
6

b) nitrogen tribromide NBr
3

c) sulfur hexachloride SF
6

d) diphosphorus pentoxide P
2
O
5


3) List three differences between ionic and covalent compounds:
Ionic compounds are hard, covalent compounds are not. Ionic compounds are
brittle, covalent compounds are not. Ionic compounds have a high melting and
boiling point, covalent compounds have a low melting and boiling point. Ionic
compounds involve the transfer of electrons, while covalent compounds share
electrons. Ionic compounds conduct electricity when dissolved in water,
covalent compounds dont.

4) Explain why ionic compounds are formed when a metal bonds with a nonmetal but
covalent compounds are formed when two nonmetals bond.
When a metal bonds with a nonmetal, electrons are transferred from the metal to
the nonmetal because metals have very low electronegativities and nonmetals
have high electronegativities. Because nonmetals tend to have similarly high
electronegativities, neither atom can take electrons from the other, forcing them
to share electrons.

5) What are the shapes of the following molecules?

a) carbon disulfide CS
2

b) boron trifluoride BF
3

c) carbon tetrafluoride CF
4


Naming Covalent Compounds Worksheet

Write the formulas for the following covalent compounds:

1) antimony tribromide __________________________________
2) hexaboron silicide __________________________________
3) chlorine dioxide __________________________________
4) hydrogen iodide __________________________________
5) iodine pentafluoride __________________________________
6) dinitrogen trioxide __________________________________
7) ammonia __________________________________
8) phosphorus triiodide __________________________________

Write the names for the following covalent compounds:

9) P
4
S
5
__________________________________
10) O
2
__________________________________
11) SeF
6
__________________________________
12) Si
2
Br
6
__________________________________
13) SCl
4
__________________________________
14) CH
4
__________________________________
15) B
2
Si __________________________________
16) NF
3
__________________________________
Naming Covalent Compounds Solutions

Write the formulas for the following covalent compounds:

1) antimony tribromide SbBr
3

2) hexaboron silicide B
6
Si
3) chlorine dioxide ClO
2

4) hydrogen iodide HI
5) iodine pentafluoride IF
5

6) dinitrogen trioxide N
2
O
3

7) ammonia NH
3

8) phosphorus triiodide PI
3


Write the names for the following covalent compounds:

9) P
4
S
5
tetraphosphorus pentasulfide
10) O
2
oxygen
11) SeF
6
selenium hexafluoride
12) Si
2
Br
6
disilicon hexafluoride
13) SCl
4
sulfur tetrachloride
14) CH
4
methane
15) B
2
Si diboron silicide
16) NF
3
nitrogen trifluoride
Compound Naming Race

Be the first team in the room to correctly get all the names on this sheet right. When you
have finished the first ten problems, bring them up to the teacher to be checked.
copper (II) acetate __________________
sodium hydroxide __________________
lithium oxide __________________
cobalt (III) carbonate __________________
aluminum sulfide __________________
ammonium cyanide __________________
iron (III) phosphide __________________
vanadium (V) phosphate __________________
sodium permanganate __________________
manganese (III) fluoride __________________
lithium arsenide __________________
chromium (VI) sulfate __________________
calcium bromide __________________
ammonium sulfate __________________
copper (II) oxide __________________
platinum (IV) phosphate __________________
aluminum carbonate __________________
silver nitrate __________________
magnesium acetate __________________
nickel (III) cyanide __________________
beryllium nitrate __________________
nickel (III) sulfite __________________
potassium oxide __________________
silver bromide __________________
zinc phosphate __________________
copper (II) bicarbonate __________________
nickel (II) selenide __________________
manganese (IV) carbonate ________________
lead (IV) nitride __________________
tin (II) hydroxide __________________
vanadium (IV) phosphate __________________
silver sulfate __________________
cobalt (III) sulfide __________________
iron (II) sulfite __________________
copper (II) nitrite __________________
nickel (II) hydroxide __________________
zinc nitride __________________
manganese (VII) nitrate __________________
gallium sulfate __________________
sodium nitrate __________________
Compound Naming Race - Solutions

Be the first team in the room to correctly get all the names on this sheet right. When you
have finished the first ten problems, bring them up to the teacher to be checked. Once these
have been checked, move to the second ten. Once all forty problems have been solved,
youre the winner!

1) copper (II) acetate Cu(CH
3
COO)
2

2) sodium hydroxide NaOH
3) lithium oxide Li
2
O
4) cobalt (III) carbonate Co
2
(CO
3
)
3

5) aluminum sulfide Al
2
S
3

6) ammonium cyanide NH
4
CN
7) iron (III) phosphide FeP
8) vanadium (V) phosphate V
3
(PO
4
)
5
9) sodium permanganate NaMnO
4
10) manganese (III) fluoride MnF
3


11) beryllium nitrate Be(NO
3
)
2
12) nickel (III) sulfite Na
2
(SO
3
)
3

13) potassium oxide K
2
O
14) silver bromide AgBr
15) zinc phosphate Zn
3
(PO
4
)
2
16) copper (II) bicarbonate Cu(HCO
3
)
2
17) nickel (II) selenide NiSe
18) manganese (IV) carbonate Mn(CO
3
)
2
19) lead (IV) nitride Pb
3
N
4
20) tin (II) hydroxide Sn(OH)
2


21) lithium arsenide Li
3
As
22) chromium (VI) sulfate Cr(SO
4
)
3
23) calcium bromide CaBr
2
24) ammonium sulfate (NH
4
)
2
SO
4

25) copper (II) oxide CuO
26) platinum (IV) phosphate Pt
3
(PO
4
)
4
27) aluminum carbonate Al
2
(CO
3
)
2
28) silver nitrate AgNO
3
29) magnesium acetate Mg(CH
3
COO)
2

30) nickel (III) cyanide Ni(CN)
3


31) vanadium (IV) phosphate V
3
(PO
4
)
4

32) silver sulfate Ag
2
SO
4

33) cobalt (III) sulfide Co
2
S
3
34) iron (II) sulfite FeSO
3

35) copper (II) nitrite Cu(NO
2
)
2
36) nickel (II) hydroxide Ni(OH)
2

37) zinc nitride Zn
3
N
2
38) manganese (VII) nitrate Mn(NO
3
)
7
39) gallium sulfate Ga
2
(SO
4
)
3
40) sodium nitrate NaNO
3

Chemical Formula Writing Worksheet

Write chemical formulas for the compounds in each box. The names are found by finding the
intersection between the cations and anions. Example: The first box is the intersection
between the zinc cation and the chloride anion, so you should write ZnCl
2
, as shown.

zinc iron (II) iron (III) gallium silver lead (IV)
chloride ZnCl
2

nitrate
oxide
nitride
sulfate


Write the formulas for the following compounds:

1) copper (II) chloride ____________________________________
2) lithium acetate ____________________________________
3) vanadium (III) selenide ____________________________________
4) manganese (IV) nitride ____________________________________
5) beryllium oxide ____________________________________
6) sodium sulfate ____________________________________
7) aluminum arsenide ____________________________________
8) potassium permanganate ____________________________________
9) chromium (VI) cyanide ____________________________________
10) tin (II) sulfite ____________________________________
11) vanadium (V) fluoride ____________________________________
12) ammonium nitrate ____________________________________
Chemical Formula Writing Worksheet Solutions

Write chemical formulas for the compounds in each box. The names are found by finding the
intersection between the cations and anions. Example: The first box is the intersection
between the zinc cation and the chloride anion, so you should write ZnCl
2
, as shown.

zinc iron (II) iron (III) gallium silver lead (IV)
chloride ZnCl
2
FeCl
2
FeCl
3
GaCl
3
AgCl PbCl
4

nitrate
Zn(NO
3
)
2
Fe(NO
3
)
2
Fe(NO
3
)
3
Ga(NO
3
)
3 AgNO
3

Pb(NO
3
)
4

oxide ZnO FeO Fe
2
O
3
Ga
2
O
3
Ag
2
O PbO
2

nitride Zn
3
N
2
Fe
3
N
2
FeN GaN Ag
3
N Pb
3
N
4

sulfate ZnSO
4
FeSO
4

Fe
2
(SO
4
)
3
Ga
2
(SO
4
)
3

Ag
2
SO
4
Pb(SO
4
)
2



Write the formulas for the following compounds:

1) copper (II) chloride CuCl
2

2) lithium acetate LiC
2
H
3
O
2

3) vanadium (III) selenide VSe
4) manganese (IV) nitride Mn
3
N
4

5) beryllium oxide BeO
6) sodium sulfate Na
2
SO
4

7) aluminum arsenide AlAs
8) potassium permanganate KMnO
4

9) chromium (VI) cyanide Cr(CN)
6

10) tin (II) sulfite SnSO
3

11) vanadium (V) fluoride VF
5

12) ammonium nitrate NH
4
NO
3