Question

What is the ionic compound name for $N{H_4}Cl$?

Answer 1

Hint: Ionic compounds are made up of positively and negatively charged ions and are held together by ionic bonds, also known as cations and anions. The positively charged portion consists of metal cations and the negatively charged portion consists of anions or polyatomic ions. These compounds have a high melting and boiling point and tend to be hard and brittle.

Complete answer:
For naming an ionic compound, we need to start off by naming the cation first and the anion. The name of the cation remains the same; while in anion, the elemental name remains the same but the end is replaced by adding ‘ide’.
In the question, we are given the compound $N{H_4}Cl$. So here we have to start by naming the cation part which is $N{H_4}^ + $. Since it is a cation, the name remains the same as ammonium.
Now, in the anion part, which is $C{l^ - }$, we have to replace the end portion of chlorine by adding ‘ide’, which becomes ‘chloride’.
Therefore, after arranging both the cation and anion, the ionic compound name for $N{H_4}Cl$ is ammonium chloride.

Note:
For cations that take multiple charges (or transition metals), the charge is written as Roman numerals in the parentheses immediately following the element name. For example, $Cu{(N{O_3})_2}$ is copper $(II)$ nitrate. Since the net charge of the compound has to be zero, so copper has to take $2 + $ charge. The Roman numerals also show the oxidation number, but in simple ionic compounds this will always be the same as the metal’s ionic charge.