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List four steps naming ionic compounds

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Final answer:

The four steps for naming ionic compounds are: identify the cation and anion, use the appropriate naming system for the cation, write the name of the cation followed by the name of the anion, and for compounds with hydrates, indicate the number of water molecules associated. Examples were provided for each step.

Step-by-step explanation:

The four steps for naming ionic compounds are as follows:

  1. Identify the cation name and the anion name.
  2. If the cation can have more than one possible charge, use the Stock system name of the cation and name of the anion, or use the stem of the cation name and -ic/-ous and the name of the anion.
  3. If the cation cannot have more than one possible charge, use the name of the cation and the name of the anion.
  4. Write the name of the cation first, followed by the name of the anion.

For example, let's name the ionic compounds given:

  1. (a) Fe₂S3 - The cation Fe²⁺ can have multiple charges, so we use iron(II) and the anion sulfide. The name of the compound is iron(II) sulfide.
  2. (b) CuSe - The cation Cu²⁺ can also have multiple charges, so we use copper(II) and the anion selenide. The name of the compound is copper(II) selenide.
  3. (c) GaN - The cation Ga³⁺ cannot have multiple charges, so we use the name gallium and the anion nitride. The name of the compound is gallium nitride.
  4. (d) MgSO4.7H₂O - This is a hydrate compound. The name of the cation is magnesium and the anion is sulfate, so the name of the compound is magnesium sulfate. The presence of the .7H₂O indicates that there are 7 water molecules associated with each formula unit of the compound.
  5. (e) Ti2(SO4)3 - The cation Ti⁴⁺ cannot have multiple charges, so we use the name titanium and the anion sulfate. However, there are two titanium ions and three sulfate ions in the compound, so the compound is named titanium(IV) sulfate.

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