1. Does the compound contain a metal or a polyatomic ion?
NO. Is the first element in the compound hydrogen?
NO. This is a molecular (covalent) compound.
YES
YES. The compound is organic. Go to the “naming organic compounds flowchart”
Does the compound contain both carbon and hydrogen?
YES. The compound is an acid. Go to the “naming acids flowchart”
Is the first element in the compound hydrogen?
NO. Is the subscript on the first element in the compound 2 or greater?
NO.
This is an ionic compound.
YES. Put the appropriate prefix in front of the element name.
NO. Name the element.
Name the positive ion. Is the positive ion a metal?
NO. It’s a polyatomic ion. Name the polyatomic ion.
NO. Name the metal followed by a Roman Numeral equal to its charge.
YES.
Is it a metal with only one possible charge?
Name the second element by putting the appropriate prefix in front of the element name and changing the ending to –ide.
Name the metal.
Name the negative ion. Is the negative ion a nonmetal?
NO. It’s a polyatomic ion. Name the polyatomic ion.
YES. Your compound is a hydrate. Follow with the appropriate prefix to represent the coefficient in front of the H2O and the word “hydrate.”
YES. Name the nonmetal by changing its ending to –ide.
NO. you are finished!
Naming compounds flowchart
Is the ionic compound followed by •#H2O?

2. Does the acid contain more than 2 different elements?
NO. It is a binary acid.
Start the acid name with the prefix hydro-
YES. It is a ternary acid containing a polyatomic ion.
YES. Change the ending of the polyatomic ion to –ic and add the word acid.
Followed by the root name of the nonmetal
Does the name of the polyatomic ion end in –ate?
Ending with the suffix –ic acid.
NO. The polyatomic ion must end in –ite. Change the ending to –ous and add the word acid.
NAMING ACIDS FLOWCHART

3. Prefixes to use with molecular compounds and hydrates
1- mono
2-di
3-tri
4- tetra
5- penta
6-hexa
7- hepta
8- octa
9- nona
10- deca