Chemistry Suffixes

-ide

when a compound or ion contains only two elements with the second one being an anion. The first element keeps its name while the second one changes its suffix to -ide. (Sodium Chloride = Na⁺Cl⁻ → NaCl)

-ate

means that an anion contains oxygen combined with another element. It shows that an ion has a higer number of of oxygen atoms compared to an ion with an -ite ending.

-ite

means tha a polyatomic ion (a group of atoms with a charge) contains oxygen. Specifically, it tells you that the ion has fewer oxygen atoms than the related ion that ends in -ate

-ic / -ous

Used in acids; -ic designates an acid with a higher oxidation state (derived from -ate), while -ous denotes a lower oxidation state (derived from -ite)