1. Acid Naming Rules

2. Is it an acid?
All acids that we will work with donate hydrogen ions [H+] in water, (or we say they are proton donors.)
To do this they have to have a hydrogen as the main cation.
Examples HNO3 and HCl

3. Decide if it is Binary or Ternary
Binary are two element compounds like HCl and HBr.
Ternary are three element compounds like HNO3 and H2SO4

4. If it is Binary Find the root such as in HCl the root is “chlor”
Use the prefix HYDRO
Add the root
And change the suffix of the anion from ide to ic.
Result: Hydrochloric acid
Binary acid formula: Hydro-root-ic acid

5. If it is Ternary Drop the hydrogen and name the anion.
Change suffix “ate” to “ic”
and “ite” to “ous”
Examples:
H2SO4 Hydrogen sulfate becomes
Sulfuric acid
H2SO3 Hydrogen sulfite becomes
Sulfurous acid

6. Is it that easy?
Yes

7. What is the difference between “ate” and “ite” anions?
Anions that end in “ate” are the most commonly found forms of the anion.
SO4-2 sulfate
NO3-1 nitrate
PO4-3 phosphate
CO3-2 carbonate

8. “ite” means one less oxygen that the “ate” form
SO3-2 sulfite SO4-2 sulfate
NO2-1 nitrite NO3-1 nitrate
PO3-3 phosphite PO4-3 phosphate
CO2-2 carbonite CO3-2 carbonate

9. Find the back of your oxidation chart
Note all the bold faced anions going down the center of the page.
Those are all the “ate” ions or polyatomic ions that are designated the most common form.
Find ClO3-1 (chlorate)
Find chlorite
ClO2-1 (chlorite)

10. Look up the names of the following ions:
Look in the upper right hand side of your oxidation chart
ClO-1
hypochlorite
ClO4-1
perchlorate

11. The prefix “hypo”
Hypo means….below or under as in hypodermic needle, below the skin, or hypo glycemic-low blood sugar.
ClO-1
Hypochlorite- one less oxygen than chlorite

12. The prefix “hyper” or “per”
Hyper means more than or above as in hyperactive, or hyperglycemic- too much blood sugar.
Chemists drop the “hy” and just use “per.”
ClO4-1
perchlorate

13. Practice naming acids How would you name HClO3? Chloric acid
Chlorous acid
How would you name HClO?
Hypochlorous acid
How would you name HClO4?
Perchloric acid

14. Practice naming sodium salts
How would you name NaClO3?
Sodium chlorate
How would you name NaClO2?
Sodium chlorite
How would you name NaClO?
Sodium hypochlorite
How would you name NaClO4?
Sodium perchlorate