Understanding Anions and Cations: Easy-to-Follow Guide for Chemistry Students

[AngelShare]

I, like so many others, have fallen behind in Chemistry. This large number of students falling behind prompted the teacher to tell us all to stop where we are and leave the late assignments go undone. Obviously, that means I'm missing information now...

Could someone provide me with easy-to-understand sites containing information on anions and cations? I took a quiz despite not knowing the information and flunked it (a low grade is better than a zero ), surprise surpise, so I'm trying to fill in the obvious gaps as it's not too late for me to save my grade.

This is the quiz. I figured I'd be better off giving understanding this a shot as I'll almost definitely need it later on.

What is the correct formula for magnesium oxide?

What is the correct formula for calcium nitride?

What is the charge for the ion of Cesium?

What is the charge for the ion of Oxygen?

What is the charge on sodium in the following reaction, formation of sodium carbonate? 2Na^x + (CO3)^2- = Na2CO3

{Just in case, the 3 beside the CO is down below, not actually beside it. The same goes for the 2 after the Na on the right side of the equation and the 3 after the CO.}

What is the correct formula for calcium nitrite?

When sulfur becomes sulfide, it is a(n) _______

 

[Astronuc]

Cations are positive ions and anions are negative ions. Most metals prefer to be cations, and the non-metal elements (old Groups 4A, 5A and 6A, or newer groups 14-16) and halides (old Group 7, or new group 17) tend to form anions. The more electronegativel an element, the more likely it is for form an anion.

Anions can be polyatomic, e.g. CO₃^2-, SO₄^2-, or PO₄^3-.

These might be of help:

http://borntoexplore.org/chemistry/common_cations_and_anions.htm

http://www.cas.astate.edu/draganjac/cationanionnamesanswers.html

Chemical Nomenclature: Cations and Anions - http://www.riverdeep.net/science/chemistry_gateways/cg_handouts/tol/tbnd0tni.pdf

Other useful references for chemical elements:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodic_Table

http://www.webelements.com

In your homework, the alkali elements in Group 1 form +1 ions (cations) and the alkaline Earth elements in Group 2 form +2 ions.

With regard to the quiz, please write what you think the answers should be.

 

[AngelShare]

I did horrible on it...I had to guess so don't expect anything great.

Anyways, it's already been scored so I know what I got wrong and what I didn't. Here are the answers I put down though:

MgO2
Ca2N2
-2
+1
+1
Ca(NO2)
Anion