-ide and –ate, how do you know which one to use?

The suffixes “-ide” and “-ate” are used in naming chemical compounds, and they generally indicate the oxidation state of the elements involved.

-ide: This suffix is used for binary compounds, which consist of two elements. In these compounds, one element is usually a nonmetal and the other is a metal or another nonmetal. The name of the compound will end in “-ide” for the nonmetal. For example:

Sodium chloride (NaCl) – sodium (a metal) and chlorine (a nonmetal).
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) – carbon (a nonmetal) and oxygen (a nonmetal).
-ate: This suffix is used for polyatomic ions or compounds that contain more than two elements, typically involving oxygen. The “-ate” suffix is used for the most common or stable oxidation state of the element in the compound. For example:

Nitrate (NO₃⁻) – where nitrogen is in its most common oxidation state.
Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) – where sulfur is in its most common oxidation state.
The suffix “-ite” is also used for polyatomic ions, but it generally indicates a lower oxidation state compared to “-ate.” For example:

Nitrite (NO₂⁻) – where nitrogen is in a lower oxidation state than in nitrate.
Sulfite (SO₃²⁻) – where sulfur is in a lower oxidation state than in sulfate.
To sum up, use “-ide” for simple binary compounds and “-ate” for polyatomic ions with oxygen, with “-ite” for the related ions with a lower oxidation state.