6 Fundamentals of Inorganic Chemistry - Vocabulary flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key inorganic chemistry concepts: ions, formulas, oxides, acids, bases, salts, hydrates, and nomenclature. Each card pairs a term with a concise definition to aid study.

Ion

A charged species formed when an atom or molecule gains or loses electrons.

Cation

A positively charged ion, typically formed by loss of electrons (e.g., Na+, Fe3+).

Anion

A negatively charged ion, typically formed by gain of electrons (e.g., Cl−, O2−).

Monatomic ion

An ion consisting of a single atom (e.g., Na+, Cl−).

Polyatomic ion

A charged species composed of two or more atoms bonded together (e.g., NO3−, SO4^2−).

Oxidation state

A bookkeeping charge for an atom in a compound; can vary for elements like transition metals.

Subscript

A small number following a symbol indicating how many atoms of that element are in a molecule.

Parentheses in formulas

A group in parentheses followed by a subscript multiplies all atoms inside (e.g., Al2(SO4)3).

Tin(IV) sulfate

Sn(SO4)2, the sulfate salt of tin in the +4 oxidation state.

Acetate

CH3COO− (C2H3O2−), a common polyatomic ion derived from acetic acid.

Nitrate

NO3−, a polyatomic ion common in salts and acids.

Nitrite

NO2−, a polyatomic ion related to nitrate with one fewer oxygen.

Carbonate

CO3^2−, a polyatomic ion common in carbonates and buffering systems.

Sulfate

SO4^2−, a polyatomic ion found in many salts and minerals.

Phosphate

PO4^3−, a polyatomic ion central in biology and geology.

Chlorate

ClO3−, a polyatomic ion used in various salts.

Perchlorate

ClO4−, a highly oxygenated polyatomic ion.

Cyanide

CN−, a simple polyatomic anion used in various salts and complexes.

Chloride

Cl−, the chloride ion; common counterion in salts (e.g., NaCl).

Oxide

A binary compound of oxygen with another element.

Basic oxide

An oxide that reacts with acids to form a salt and water; typically from metals.

Acidic oxide

An oxide that reacts with water to form acids; typically from nonmetals.

Amphoteric oxide

An oxide that can act as either an acid or a base (e.g., Al2O3, ZnO).

Neutral oxide

An oxide showing little or no acidic/basic behavior (e.g., CO, N2O).

Peroxide

O2^2−, containing an O–O single bond (e.g., H2O2, Na2O2).

Superoxide

O2−, containing the O2 unit with a -1 charge (e.g., KO2).

Hydration/Hydrate

A compound with water molecules integrated into its crystal lattice (e.g., CuSO4·5H2O).

Hydroxide

OH−, a polyatomic ion; bases form hydroxides and react with acids in neutralization.

Binary ionic compound

Compound formed from a metal and a nonmetal with ionic bonding (e.g., NaCl).

Covalent compound

Compound formed from two or more nonmetals with covalent (sharing) bonds.

Oxoacid

An acid derived from oxoanions; naming reflects the central atom's oxidation state (e.g., H2SO4).

Suffix -ic

Indicates a higher oxidation state in oxoacids (e.g., sulfuric acid, H2SO4).

Suffix -ous

Indicates a lower oxidation state in oxoacids (e.g., sulfurous acid, H2SO3).

Monoprotic acid

An acid that donates one proton (e.g., HCl, HNO3).

Diprotic acid

An acid that donates two protons (e.g., H2SO4).

Triprotic acid

An acid that donates three protons (e.g., H3PO4).

Salt

A compound formed from the neutralization of an acid and a base; composed of a cation from the base and an anion from the acid.

Neutralization

A reaction in which an acid reacts with a base to form a salt and water.

Double salt

A solid containing two different salts crystallized together in a fixed ratio (e.g., alum).

Complex salt

A salt that contains a complex ion which does not fully dissociate in water (e.g., [Cu(NH3)4]SO4).

Hygroscopic

A substance that readily absorbs moisture from the air.

Efflorescence

Loss of water of crystallization from hydrated salts upon exposure to air.

Deliquescence

A substance absorbs moisture to the point of dissolving in it.

Prefix naming (mono-, di-, tri-, etc.)

System used to indicate the number of atoms in binary covalent compounds.

Binary molecular compound naming order

Name the less electronegative element first, then the more electronegative element with prefixes.