Nomenclature Question

[906011696]

Hello!
When naming compounds, I was wondering how we should differentiate between "ite" and "ate." I know that ate refers to the higher number of oxygen molecules present, but how do we determine that for each compound? Would that just have to be memorized?

[Olivia DeCecco 1B]

Hi,
You are correct about the higher number of oxygen atoms. Using "ite" the ion has a lower number of oxygen atoms while using "ate" the ion has a higher number of oxygen atoms. You can also look at the oxidation of the central atom of the molecule. Using "ite" would mean a lower oxidation state, and using "ate" would represent a higher oxidation state.