A binary compound is a chemical compound that contains exactly two different elements. Examples are NaCl (sodium chloride), NaF (sodium fluoride), and MgO (magnesium oxide).

Contents 1 Metals with variable valences 2 Binary Acids 3 Binary Covalent Compounds 4 Binary Ionic Compounds

[edit] Metals with variable valences

“Latin Method” Latin name of metal “-ous” (For lower valence)"-ic" (For higher valence) + Nonmetal + “-ide”

[edit] Binary Acids

“Hydro-” + Nonmetal + “-ic” + “acid”

There are only 10 existing non-metals that can be involved in binary acids when combined with hydrogen: chlorine, fluorine, bromine, iodine, and sulfur. It can also equal an "-ide."

[edit] Binary Covalent Compounds

Nonmetal + Nonmetal + "-ide."

Add the appropriate Latin prefix to each element name to denote the number of atoms of each element present in a molecule of the compound. This method is generally not used with ionic compounds(see below), . For example, K₂O is usually not called dipotassium monoxide; it is simply potassium oxide. P₄O₆, however, would be tetraphosphorus hexoxide. Some elements beginning with vowels (Oxygen, for example) replace the vowel ending of its prefix; mono- + Oxide = Monoxide, O₄ = Tetroxide, O₅ = Pentoxide, and so on.

*Exception – If the first element is a single atom, do not write “mono.”

1	Mono-	3	Tri-	5	Penta-	7	Hepta-	9	Nona-
2	Di-	4	Tetra-	6	Hexa-	8	Octa-	10	Deca-

[edit] Binary Ionic Compounds

Cation + Anion + "ide" (if there is only one atom of the anion, as in Magnesium Sulfide, MgS)

If the anion is more than one atom of the same substance, either "ite" or "ate" is added at the end instead of "ide". "ite" is used when the anion is, "ate" if the anion is 3 or higher. Ex.: CaCl₂ are common however... one being Iron(III) Oxide=Fe₂O₃.

If the compound is aqueous (aq) and begins with "H" then it can be read as hydro + ____ + ic acid. Example H₂SO₄ is hydrosulfuric acid

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