Ions -- atoms or groups of atoms that have a positive or negative charge
- cations -- positively charged atom or groups of atoms
- anions -- negatively charged atom or groups of atoms
- Chemical Formulas -- shows the kinds and numbers of atoms in a unit
- Law of Definite Proportions -- in samples of any chemical compound, the masses of the elements are always in the same proportions
- Law of Multiple Proportions -- whenever two elements form more than one compound, the different masses of one element that combine with the same mass of the other element are in the ratio of small whole numbers
Rules for writing charges of ions:
- Group 1 metals are always negative 1
- Group 2 metals are always negative 2
- Oxygen will be 2- except when bonded with fluorine
- Fluorine is always negative 1
- Group 17 will be negative 1
- Nonmetals will be negative (except when bonded with other nonmetals)
- The sum of the charges of the ions of a compound must equal zero
- Some possible charges of elements can be found on your periodic table of elements. It is the number on the right side, second from bottom in each square for each element.
Polyatomic Ions
- many-atomed ion that acts as a single charged unit
When using polyatomics and you need more than one of the polyatomic ion, you must place it in ( ) and add the subscript to the outside of the ( )
Examples:
Ca2+ and CO32– = CaCO3 Ba2+ and OH– = Ba(OH)2