Nomenclature Glossary

Acid Compound--Compound with H first in the formula

Anion--A negatively charged ion.

Binary Compound--Compound consists of only two kinds of atoms.

Cation--A positively charged ion.

Covalent Compound--Compound consists of only nonmetal atoms.

Electronegativity--(EN)--The relative ability of an atom to attract electron density to itself when covalently bonded to another atom (expressed on a scale relative to fluorine being assigned a number of 4.0)

Hydrate--Compound which contains water molecules as a part of its structure and composition

Ionic Compound--Compound consists of a metal atom and a nonmetal atom or a cation and anion.

Oxidation Number--(ON)--The charge or apparent charge that an atom in a compound or ion would have if all of the electrons in its bonds belonged entirely to the more electronegative atom. (Based on certain arbitrary rules.)

Ternary Compound--Compound consists of three kinds of atoms.  One kind is usually O-atom.