Multiple Choice
Which of the following ionic compounds is commonly used as a building material?
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3. Chemical Reactions
Naming Ionic Compounds
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Which of the following options correctly describes how to name an ionic compound?
A
Name the anion first, followed by the cation; the cation's name ends with '-ide'.
B
Name the cation first, followed by the anion; the anion's name ends with '-ide' if it is a monatomic ion.
C
Name both ions using their elemental names without any modifications.
D
Use prefixes to indicate the number of each ion present in the compound.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that ionic compounds are formed from cations (positively charged ions) and anions (negatively charged ions). The naming convention reflects this structure.
Recall that the cation is named first in the compound name, using the element's name directly if it is a metal ion, often without any suffix changes.
Recognize that the anion is named second. If the anion is a monatomic ion (consisting of a single element), its name ends with the suffix '-ide'. For example, Cl⁻ becomes chloride.
Note that prefixes (like mono-, di-, tri-) are generally not used in naming ionic compounds because the ratio of ions is determined by their charges, not by simple counting as in covalent compounds.
Summarize the correct naming rule: Name the cation first, followed by the anion; the anion's name ends with '-ide' if it is a monatomic ion.
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