When naming ionic compounds, what ending is added to the nonmetal to form the anion?

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Multiple Choice

When naming ionic compounds, what ending is added to the nonmetal to form the anion?

Explanation:
When naming ionic compounds, the nonmetal forms a monoatomic anion by adding the suffix -ide. This signals a simple nonmetal anion, as in chloride, fluoride, sulfide, and oxide. The -ate and -ite endings are used for polyatomic oxyanions (like sulfate or nitrate), not for single-element nonmetal anions. The -ous ending appears in some historical contexts for certain oxyanions in lower oxidation states (chlorous vs chlorate, for example) and isn’t the general rule for forming the basic anion name. So the standard way to form the anion name from a nonmetal is to add -ide.

When naming ionic compounds, the nonmetal forms a monoatomic anion by adding the suffix -ide. This signals a simple nonmetal anion, as in chloride, fluoride, sulfide, and oxide. The -ate and -ite endings are used for polyatomic oxyanions (like sulfate or nitrate), not for single-element nonmetal anions. The -ous ending appears in some historical contexts for certain oxyanions in lower oxidation states (chlorous vs chlorate, for example) and isn’t the general rule for forming the basic anion name. So the standard way to form the anion name from a nonmetal is to add -ide.

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