Nomenclature Working through Naming Compounds and Writing Formulas with Examples Created by James Kirby, Quinnipiac University and posted on VIPEr ( on July 2, Copyright James Kirby The work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non- commercial Share Alike License. To view a copy of this license, visit

Q1: The formula of the ionic compound formed by sodium, Na (Group 1 or IA), and oxygen, O (Group 16 or VIA), is 1) NaO 2) NaO 2 3) Na 2 O 4) Na 2 O 2

Q2: Na 2 O is 1) disodium monoxide 2) disodium oxide 3) sodium monoxide 4) sodium oxide 5) sodium(II) oxide

Q3: The formula of the ionic compound formed by calcium, Ca (Group 2 or IIA), and oxygen, O (Group 16 or VIA), is 1) CaO 2) CaO 2 3) Ca 2 O 4) Ca 2 O 2

Q4: CaO is 1) calcium monoxide 2) calcium oxide 3) calcium(II) monoxide 4) calcium(II) oxide 5) calcium oxide(2-)

Q5: CoO is 1) cobalt monoxide 2) cobalt oxide 3) cobalt(II) monoxide 4) cobalt(II) oxide 5) cobalt(III) monoxide 6) cobalt(III) oxide 7) monocobalt monoxide

Q6: The formula for tetrachlorferrate(III) is 1) [FeCl 3 ] + 2) [FeCl 3 ] 3- 3) [FeCl 3 ] 3+ 4) [FeCl 4 ] - 5) [FeCl 4 ] 3-

Q7: The formula of hexaquacobalt(II) is 1) [Co(H 2 O) 4 ] 2- 2) [Co(H 2 O) 6 ] 2- 3) [Co(H 2 O) 4 ] 2+ 4) [Co(H 2 O) 6 ] 2+ 5) [Co(H 2 O) 4 ] 3+ 6) [Co(H 2 O) 6 ] 3+

Q8: The formal name of cisplatin (below), which consists of Pt 2+ (blue center), Cl - (green), and NH 3 (blue and white ligand), is 1) cis-diamminedichloroplatinate(II) 2) cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) 3) cis-dichlorodiammineplatinate(II) 4) cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) 5) trans-diamminedichloroplatinate(II) 6) trans-diamminedichlororplatinum(II) 7) trans-dichlorodiammineplatinate(II) 8) trans-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) figure by Ben Mills (Benjah-bmm27)

Q9: The name of the following complex is: [Co(NH 3 ) 5 Cl]SO 4 1) chloropentamminecobalt(II) sulfate 2) chloropentamminecobalt(III) sulfate 3) chloropentamminesulfatocobalt 4) chloropentammoniasulfatocobalt 5) pentamminechlorocobalt(II) sulfate 6) pentamminechlorocobalt(III) sulfate 7) pentammoniachlorocobalt(III) sulfate

Q10: The name of the following complex is: [Co(en) 2 Cl 2 ]Cl 1) bis(ethylenediamine)dichlorocobalt(II) chloride 2) bis(ethylenediamine)dichlorocobalt(III) chloride 3) dichlorodiethylenediaminecobalt(II) chloride 4) dichlorodbis(ethylenediamine)cobalt(II) chloride 5) dichlorodbis(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) chloride 6) dichlorodiethylenediaminecobaltate(II) chloride 7) dichlorodiethylenediaminecobaltate(III) chloride 8) dichlorobis(ethylenediamine)cobaltate(II) chloride 9) dichlorobis(ethylenediamine)cobaltate(III) chloride

Q11: The formula for bis( μ- hydroxo)- bis(tetraamminecobalt(II)) is 1) (NH 3 ) 4 Co(OH) 2 2) (NH 4 ) 2 Co(OH) 2 3) (NH 3 ) 4 Co(OH) 2 Co(NH 3 ) 4 4) [(NH 3 ) 4 Co(OH) 2 Co(NH 3 ) 4 ] 2+ 5) (NH 4 ) 2 Co(OH) 2 Co(NH 4 ) 2

Q12: The name of the complex below, consisting of Co 3+ (center), Cl - (green), and NH 3, is 1) cis-triamminetrichlorocobaltate 2) cis-trichlorotriamminecobalt(III) 3) fac-triamminetrichlorocobaltate 4) fac-trichlorotriamminecobalt(III) 5) mer-triamminetrichlorocobalt(III) 6) mer-trichlorotriamminecobaltate 7) trans-triamminetrichlorocobalt(III) 8) trans-trichlorotriamminecobaltate figure by Ben Mills (Benjah-bmm27)