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Common Polyatomic Ions
Common polyatomic ions flashcards with names, formulas, and charges for chemistry students.
#chemistry#ions#polyatomic-ions#formulas
About this deck
Use this common polyatomic ions deck to memorize ion names, formulas, and charges for chemistry class. It is designed for students learning ionic compounds, nomenclature, and formula writing.
The deck focuses on the ions that show up repeatedly in general chemistry homework and quizzes, such as nitrate, sulfate, carbonate, phosphate, ammonium, hydroxide, and the halogen oxyanion series.
40cards
Introductory chemistrylevel
chemistry students, high school science learners, and ionic compound practiceaudience
What you will learn
- Common polyatomic ion names.
- Chemical formulas for frequent ions.
- Ion charges needed for ionic compound formulas.
- Patterns such as nitrate/nitrite and chlorate/chlorite families.
How to study this deck
- Memorize the ion name to formula and charge first.
- Group related oxyanions together so the prefixes and suffixes become predictable.
- Practice writing example compounds after reviewing the flashcards.
Scope
This deck focuses on common classroom polyatomic ions. It does not include every rare coordination ion or advanced inorganic chemistry species.
Review notes
Polyatomic ion list last reviewed for public SEO pages on 2026-07-06.
All 40 cards in this deck
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| Ammonium | NH4+, charge +1 |
| Hydronium | H3O+, charge +1 |
| Hydroxide | OH^-, charge -1 |
| Cyanide | CN^-, charge -1 |
| Peroxide | O2^2-, charge -2 |
| Acetate | C2H3O2^-, charge -1 |
| Nitrate | NO3^-, charge -1 |
| Nitrite | NO2^-, charge -1 |
| Sulfate | SO4^2-, charge -2 |
| Sulfite | SO3^2-, charge -2 |
| Hydrogen sulfate | HSO4^-, charge -1 |
| Carbonate | CO3^2-, charge -2 |
| Bicarbonate / hydrogen carbonate | HCO3^-, charge -1 |
| Phosphate | PO4^3-, charge -3 |
| Phosphite | PO3^3-, charge -3 |
| Hydrogen phosphate | HPO4^2-, charge -2 |
| Dihydrogen phosphate | H2PO4^-, charge -1 |
| Chromate | CrO4^2-, charge -2 |
| Dichromate | Cr2O7^2-, charge -2 |
| Permanganate | MnO4^-, charge -1 |
| Hypochlorite | ClO^-, charge -1 |
| Chlorite | ClO2^-, charge -1 |
| Chlorate | ClO3^-, charge -1 |
| Perchlorate | ClO4^-, charge -1 |
| Hypobromite | BrO^-, charge -1 |
| Bromite | BrO2^-, charge -1 |
| Bromate | BrO3^-, charge -1 |
| Perbromate | BrO4^-, charge -1 |
| Hypoiodite | IO^-, charge -1 |
| Iodite | IO2^-, charge -1 |
| Iodate | IO3^-, charge -1 |
| Periodate | IO4^-, charge -1 |
| Oxalate | C2O4^2-, charge -2 |
| Thiosulfate | S2O3^2-, charge -2 |
| Thiocyanate | SCN^-, charge -1 |
| Cyanate | OCN^-, charge -1 |
| Borate | BO3^3-, charge -3 |
| Silicate | SiO3^2-, charge -2 |
| Arsenate | AsO4^3-, charge -3 |
| Arsenite | AsO3^3-, charge -3 |
Frequently asked questions
What are polyatomic ions?
Polyatomic ions are charged groups of atoms that act as a unit in ionic compounds, such as nitrate, sulfate, carbonate, and ammonium.
Should I memorize the charge with the formula?
Yes. The charge is essential because it tells you how the ion combines with other ions in chemical formulas.
Does this deck cover nitrate and sulfate?
Yes. It includes nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, sulfite, carbonate, phosphate, ammonium, hydroxide, and many other common ions.
Is the Common Polyatomic Ions flashcard deck free?
Yes. You can study it free in your browser on MazoCards. Create a free account to save progress, track streaks, and sync across devices.
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