Acid Naming Conventions

Naming Acids

ic acids: If the acid name ends in "ic acid", it is derived from a polyatomic ion ending in "ate".
- Example: Sulfuric acid is related to the sulfate polyatomic ion.
Determining the Formula for Sulfuric Acid
- The "ic" ending indicates the acid is derived from the "ate" polyatomic ion, so sulfuric acid comes from sulfate.
- Sulfate formula: SO_4^{2-}
- Hydrogen ion: H^+
- To balance the charges and form a neutral compound, two hydrogen ions are needed. Therefore, the formula for sulfuric acid is H2SO4
ous acids: If the acid name ends in "ous", it is derived from a polyatomic ion ending in "ite".
- Example: If the acid were sulfurous acid (ous), it would be derived from sulfite, which is SO_3
hydro-____-ic acids: If the acid name starts with "hydro" and ends in "ic", it indicates that the acid is formed from hydrogen and a single element (no polyatomic ion involved).
- Example: Hydrosulfuric acid is hydrogen combined with sulfur, resulting in H_2S