Key terms

Here are the key terms used throughout this simulation. Please use this theory page as a glossary when needed:

• Inorganic - anything that does not contain a majority of carbon
• Nomenclature - the noun for naming in science
• Monoatomic - consisting of only one atom
• Polyatomic - consisting of multiple atoms
• Anion - negatively charged ion, formed by nonmetals only
• Cation - positively charged ion, formed by metals only
• Binary compound - a compound consisting of exactly two different elements
• Ionic compound - a compound that is primarily held together by ionic bonds, which is often the case for binary compounds of one metal and one nonmetal
• Covalent compound - a compound that is primarily held together by covalent bonds, which is often the case for binary compounds of two nonmetals
• Oxyanion - negatively charged ion that contains an element covalently bonded to oxygen
• Oxyacid - a neutral compound that contains hydrogen, oxygen, and at least one other covalently bonded element