MEMORIZE the first four tables of this page and you will be proficient in the naming of salts. This is not the complete inorganic nomenclature(!), but what you find here is the minimum requirement for Chem 3A and Chem 1A. For most of you it is a new language and there is a lot to learn here. 

We use two essential tools: 

1. The Periodic Table.

2. Absolute knowledge of the formulas of the five common acids and names directly derived from them, as shown in Table II hereunder. 

Essential is: practice as many examples as you can find in your text book and in Sackheim ("The Red Workbook", Chapter 3).

I. All single negative ions are ending with -ide 

for example: Cl- is chloride, S2- is sulfide, and N3- is nitride.

II. Memorize the Five Common Acids and the negative ions derived from them.

Common Acid Name	Formula	Salts ending with -ate	Salts ending with -ite	Derived from
chloric acid	HClO3	chlorate = ClO3-	chlorite = ClO2-	HClO2 = chlorous acid
nitric acid	HNO3	nitrate = NO3-	nitrite = NO2-	HNO2 = nitrous acid
sulfuric acid	H2SO4	sulfate = SO42-	sulfite = SO32-	H2SO3 = sulfurous acid
carbonic acid	H2CO3	carbonate = CO32-	N/A	N/A
phosphoric acid	H3PO4	phosphate = PO43-	phosphite= PO33-	H3PO3 = phorphorous acid

III. Roman Numerals are used for the charges of some metal ions.

Memorize the Metal Ions that require a Roman Numeral in parenthesis behind their name. They can also be described with -ous and -ic endings behind their Latin name as shown here: iron(II) = Fe2+= ferrous iron(III) = Fe3+= ferric copper(I) = Cu+= cuprous copper(II) = Cu2+ = cupric tin (II) = Sn2+ = stannous tin (IV) = Sn4+= stannic lead(II) = Pb2+= plumbous lead (IV) = Pb4+= plumbic mercury(I) = Hg22+= mercurous mercury(II) = Hg2+= mercuric manganese(II) = Mn2+= manganous manganese(IV) = Mn4+ = N/A chromium(III) = Cr3+ = chromous chromium(VI) = Cr6+= chromic

Memorize These Complex Ions: ammonium = NH4+ hydroxide = OH- cyanide = CN- peroxide = O22- permanganate = MnO4- NO ROMAN Numerals ! Memorize the charges of: nickel = Ni2+ (nickel (III) is very rare) cadmium = Cd2+;    zinc = Zn2+ silver = Ag+ (silver (II) is very rare)

IV. The Hydrogen Acid Salts and two more Acids derived from Chlorine.

Memorize these Hydrogen Acid Salt ions: bisulfide = hydrogensulfide = HS- bisulfate = hydrogensulfate = HSO4- bisulfite = hydrogensulfite = HSO3- bicarbonate = hydrogencarbonate = HCO3- (mono)hydrogenphosphate = HPO42- dihydrogenphosphate = H2PO4-

Memorize the following chlorine acids and their negative ions: perchloric acid = HClO4 and perchlorate = ClO4- hypochlorous acid = HClO and hypochlorite = ClO-

V. Analogies based on the position in the periodic table.

Four examples: 1. As sodium is Na1+ cesium (element # 55) is also 1+ and consequently cesium chlorite = CsClO2 2. Chlorate = ClO3- then bromate = BrO3-, and silver bromate = AgBrO3 3. Selenium is element # 34. Selenate ion = SeO42- because sulfate = SO42-. Manganese(IV) selenate = Mn(SeO4)2 4. Strontium is element # 38. Strontium hypoiodite = Sr(IO)2

Examples or Tables I-IV.

I. potassium sulfide = K2S Al2O3 = aluminum oxide II. calcium phosphate = Ca3(PO4)2 Ba(NO2)2 = barium nitrite zinc carbonate = ZnCO3 AlPO3 = aluminum phosphite III. ammonium sulfate = (NH4)2SO4 Cu(CN)2 = copper(II) cyanide iron(II) peroxide = FeO2 Ag3PO4 = silver phosphate IV. calcium monohydrogenphosphate = CaHPO4 NaHCO3 = sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogencarbonate