Writing Chemical Formulas for Ionic Compounds

Writing Chemical Formulas for Ionic Compounds

Read each question carefully and follow the instructions to write the correct chemical formulas for ionic compounds. Remember to balance the charges to achieve a neutral compound.

An ionic bond is formed when one or more electrons are transferred from a metal atom to a nonmetal atom, resulting in the formation of oppositely charged ions that attract each other.

1. Ionic compounds are formed between a   and a  .

2. The overall charge of an ionic compound must always be  .

3. Cations are ions with a   charge, while anions have a   charge.

4. The criss-cross method is used to determine the   of each ion in the chemical formula.

Write the chemical formula for the ionic compound formed from the following ions:

5. Sodium (Na+) and Chloride (Cl-)

6. Magnesium (Mg2+) and Oxide (O2-)

7. Aluminum (Al3+) and Fluoride (F-)

8. Calcium (Ca2+) and Nitride (N3-)

9. Iron(III) (Fe3+) and Sulfate (SO42-)

10. What is the correct chemical formula for potassium iodide?

11. The subscript '1' is never written in a chemical formula.

12. Explain why ionic compounds are typically formed between metals and nonmetals.