ELECTROVALENCE OF COMMON ELEMENTS

AND

POLYATOMIC IONS (COMPOUND IONS)

Note: This list includes elements commonly encountered. The student is expected as well to be able to determine the valence of other elements from the periodic table. Electrovalences in brackets are possible but less common.

ELEMENT SYMBOL ELECTROVALENCE
hydrogen H +1
potassium K +1
sodium Na +1
silver Ag +1
fluorine F -1
chlorine Cl -1
bromine Br -1
iodine I -1
barium Ba +2
calcium Ca +2
magnesium Mg +2
zinc Zn +2
oxygen O -2
sulphur S -2,(+4.+6)
aluminum A1 +3
carbon C +4
silicon Si +4
copper Cu +1, +2
mercury Hg +1, +2
iron Fe +2, +3
gold Au +3, (+1)
tin Sn +2, +4
lead Pb +2, +4
manganese Mn +2, (+4)
nitrogen N -3, +3, +5
phosphorus P -3, +3, +5
arsenic As -3, +3, +5
antimony Sb -3, +3, +5


POLYATOMIC ION

FORMULA & ELECTROVALENCE

ammonium NH4+1
carbonate CO3-2
chlorate ClO3-1
hydroxide OH-1
nitrate NO3-1
phosphate PO4-3
sulphate SO4-2
chromate CrO4-2
dichromate Cr2O7-2
permanganate MnO4-1
acetate CH3COO-1
cyanide CN-1

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