This lesson helps the student to name most common inorganic compounds. It might be used in conjunction with the Nomenclature Game. It gives the rules for a class of compounds, then asks the student to deduce that names of some examples. It has a parser that allows it to provide very relevant feedback. The student is expected to keep editing the name until it's right.
The lesson starts with simple binary compounds including the pseudo-atomic ions NH4+, CN-, OH-, etc. It then proceeds to variable formulas, involving metals (oxidation number in brackets) and non-metals (number prefixes).
The oxygen bearing anions are treated in two ways. You may click on an element on a periodic table to find its anions and attempt to memorize them, or you may learn the rules based on oxidation number of the central atom.
Each section ends with a quiz in which the student must provide the correct name, given a formula. Extensive analytic feedback is given. One may edit the name until it is correct.
Acids, binary and oxygen-bearing, acid salts (both as "hydrogen" and "bi-") are presented. It is shown how the names of oxygenated acids are related to the names of the corresponding oxy-anions.
There is a chapter on exceptions: organics, common names, bihalides, etc.
In the final review quiz, names are given and you must respond with the formulas. You must do at least 20 to create a score; the most recent 20 count. If you get a score, it may be recorded in a dataset.
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Updated July 18, 2000