Names of Common Elements and Ions

Common Elements

H hydrogen P phosphorus Zn zinc

He helium S sulfur Br bromine
C carbon Cl chlorine Ag silver
N nitrogen Ar argon Sn tin
O oxygen K potassium I iodine
F fluorine Ca calcium Ba barium
Ne neon Cr chromium Pt platinum
Na sodium Fe iron Au gold
Mg magnesium Co cobalt Hg mercury
Al aluminum Ni nickel Pb lead
Si silicon Cu copper B boron

Diatomic Elements
Seven elements form diatomic molecules when they are not combined in a
chemical compound. These are:

H2 N2 O2 F2 Cl2 Br2 I2

Common Molecular Compounds

H2 O water HCl hydrochloric acid

NH3 ammonia HNO3 nitric acid
CO carbon monoxide H2SO4 sulfuric acid
CO2 carbon dioxide

Ions

H+ hydrogen ion Mg2+ magnesium ion

Na+ sodium ion Ca2+ calcium ion
K+ potassium ion Ba2+ barium ion
Ag+ silver ion Zn2+ zinc ion
Al3+ aluminum ion

F- fluoride O2- oxide

Cl- chloride S2- sulfide
Br- bromide N3- nitride
I- iodide P3- phosphide
Metals that have more than one possible charge

Fe2+ iron (II) or ferrous Fe3+ iron (III) or ferric

Cu+ copper (I) or cuprous Cu2+ copper (II) or cupric
Sn2+ tin (II) or stannous Sn4+ tin (IV) or stannic
Cr2+ chromium (II) or chromous Cr3+ chromium (III) or chromic
Co2+ cobalt (II) or cobaltous Co3+ cobalt (III) or cobaltic
Hg22+ mercury (I) Hg2+ mercury (II)
Pb2+ lead (II) Pb4+ lead (IV)
Au+ gold (I) Au3+ gold (III)

Polyatomic Ions

C2H3O2- acetate NH4+ ammonium

CO32- carbonate OH- hydroxide

HCO3- hydrogen carbonate SO42- sulfate
(bicarbonate) SO32- sulfite

CN- cyanide HSO4- hydrogen sulfate (bisulfate)

CrO42- chromate NO3- nitrate

Cr2O72- dichromate NO2- nitrite

PO43- phosphate MnO4- permanganate

HPO42- hydrogen phosphate
H2PO4-` dihydrogen phosphate C2O42- oxalate

ClO- hypochlorite
ClO2- chlorite O22- peroxide
ClO3- chlorate
ClO4- perchlorate SCN- thiocyanate

BrO- hypobromite IO- hypoiodite

BrO2- bromite IO2- iodite
BrO3- bromate IO3- iodate
BrO4- perbromate IO4- periodate