how to name compounds?

ya true ionic compounds are those which have two ions in them

and covalent with atoms bounded together to form molecules

but listen there are an awesome lot of compounds with more than two ions or radicals in them. it isnt easy to name them, let us leave it for the scientists to do it

Ionic compounds contain a metal bonded with a nonmetal...that is an anion bonded to a cation...

Like NaCl (group 1- Na+ and Group 7 - Cl- )

Groups 1,2 and 3 are metals....they bond with nonmetals....compounds that are covalent do not contain metals and nonmetals and are not charged.

Keep in mind these basic definitions:

A covalent compound is a compound in which the atoms that are bonded share electrons rather than transfer electrons from one to the other. While ionic compounds are usually formed when metals bond to nonmetals, covalent compounds are formed

when two nonmetals bond to each other.

I hope this helps =)

No, use prefixes (mono, di, tri, etc...) for COVALENT only.

Examples: a) MgCl2 ionic since metal (Mg) + nonmetal (Cl)

name: magnesium chloride (not magnesium dichloride)

b) SiO2 covalent since non-metals only (Si, O).

name: silicon dioxide