Understanding the basics of ionic compounds starts with identifying cations and anions.
Cations are positively charged ions, while anions are negatively charged ions.
In a chemical formula, the cation is always listed first, followed by the anion. For example, in the compound aluminum chlorate (Al(ClO鈧)鈧), aluminum is the cation and chlorate is the anion.
Here are some steps to make this identification easier:
- Identify the metal or ammonium group, which is usually the cation.
- Identify the non-metal or polyatomic ion, which tends to be the anion.
With these identifications, you lay a strong foundation for writing correct formulas.