A monatomic ion is an ion consisting of one or more atoms of a single element (u nlike a polyatomic ion, which consists of more

than one element in one ion). For example calcium carbonate consists of the monatomic ion Ca2+ and the polyatomic ion CO32-. A type I binary ionic compound contains a metal (cation) that forms only one typ e of ion. A type II ionic compound contains a metal that forms more than one typ e of ion, i.e., ions with different charges. Hydrogen Lithium Li+ Sodium Na+ Potassium Rubidium Caesium Cs+ Magnesium Calcium Ca2+ Strontium Barium Ba2+ Aluminum Silver Ag+ Zinc Zn2+ Common type II iron(II) iron(III) copper(II) copper(I) Common anions hydride Hfluoride chloride bromide Briodide Ioxide O2sulfide S2nitride N3phosphide H+ K+ Rb+ Mg2+ Sr2+ Al3+ cations Fe2+ Fe3+ Cu2+ Cu+ FCl-

ferrous ferric cupric cuprous

P3

A polyatomic ion, also known as a molecular ion, is a charged species (ion) comp osed of two or more atoms covalently bonded or of a metal complex that can be co nsidered as acting as a single unit in the context of acid and base chemistry or in the formation of salts. The prefix "poly-" means "many," in Greek, but even ions of two atoms are commonly referred to as polyatomic. In older literature, a polyatomic ion is also referred to as a radical, and less commonly, as a radica l group. In contemporary usage, the term radical refers to free radicals which a re (not necessarily charged) species with an unpaired electron. For example, a hydroxide ion is made of one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom: i ts chemical formula is (OH)-. It has a charge of -1. An ammonium ion is made up of one nitrogen atom and four hydrogen atoms: its chemical formula is (NH4)+. It has charge of +1. A polyatomic ion can often be considered as the conjugate acid or conjugate base of a neutral molecule. For example the sulfate anion, SO42-, is derived from H2 SO4 which can be regarded as SO3 + H2O.

Acetate (ethanoate) CH3COO- or C2H3O2 Benzoate C6H5COO- or C7H5O2 Bicarbonate (hydrogen carbonate) HCO3 Carbonate CO23 Cyanide CNHydroxide OHNitrate NO3 Phosphate PO34 Sulfate SO24

Cations Ammonium 4 Hydronium Mercury(I) 2 Tropylium

NH+ H3O+ Hg2+ C7H+

In chemistry, an ionic compound is a chemical compound in which ions are held to gether in a lattice structure by ionic bonds. Usually, the positively charged po rtion consists of metal cations and the negatively charged portion is an anion o r polyatomic ion. Ions in ionic compounds are held together by the electrostatic force between oppositely charged bodies. Ionic compounds have a high melting an d boiling point, and they are hard and very brittle. Ions can be single atoms, as the sodium and chlorine in common table salt sodium chloride, or more complex groups such as the carbonate in calcium carbonate. Bu t to be considered an ion, they must carry a positive or negative charge. Thus, in an ionic bond, one 'bonder' must have a positive charge and the other a negat ive one. By sticking to each other, they resolve, or partially resolve, their se parate charge imbalances. Positive to positive and negative to negative ionic bo nds do not occur. (For an easily visible analogy, experiment with a pair of bar magnets.) Chemical compounds are never strictly ionic. Even the most electronegative/elect ropositive pairs such as caesium fluoride exhibit a degree of covalency. Similar ly, covalent compounds often exhibit charge separations. See also HSAB theory.