4.5 Naming Compounds

Notes

• Binary ionic: name the metal, then the nonmetal with the ending -ide. NaCl is sodium chloride; $\text{MgO}$ is magnesium oxide.
• Binary covalent (two nonmetals) uses prefixes: mono- (1), di- (2), tri- (3), tetra- (4), penta- (5). $\text{CO}_2$ is carbon dioxide; $\text{CO}$ is carbon monoxide; $\text{N}_2\text{O}_4$ is dinitrogen tetroxide.
• Do not use prefixes for ionic compounds.
• Some common names are used instead: $\text{H}_2\text{O}$ is water and $\text{NH}_3$ is ammonia.