Periodic Table Printable with Charges
Ionic compounds balance positive and negative charges, so knowing each element’s common ion charge is the key to writing formulas. Click any element on the interactive periodic table to see its common charges, use the formula builder to combine a cation and an anion into a correct ionic formula, and print the charge table and polyatomic ion list for your binder.
Periodic table with charges
Ionic formula builder
Periodic Table with Charges Printables
Printable periodic table with common ion charges (colour and black-and-white), transition metal and polyatomic ion charge tables, and an ionic formula worksheet with answer key.
- Table with charges (PDF/XLSX)
- Transition metals (PDF)
- Polyatomic ions (PDF)
- Formula practice (PDF, DOCX)
Formats: PDF, XLSX, DOCX. Instant download after payment (link valid 72 hours, up to 5 downloads). AI-assisted: the templates were drafted with AI help and reviewed and laid out by Kedop.
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Why elements form ions with predictable charges
Atoms gain or lose electrons to reach a more stable arrangement, often the same number of outer electrons as the nearest noble gas. Metals on the left of the periodic table lose electrons and become positive ions (cations); non-metals on the right gain electrons and become negative ions (anions). Because the number of outer electrons follows the group, main-group elements have charges you can read straight from the table.
Charges by group
| Group | Elements | Common ion charge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (alkali metals) | Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs | +1 |
| 2 (alkaline earth metals) | Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba | +2 |
| 13 | Al, Ga (B forms covalent compounds) | +3 |
| 14 | C, Si (usually covalent); Sn, Pb | Sn and Pb: +2 or +4 |
| 15 | N, P | −3 |
| 16 | O, S, Se | −2 |
| 17 (halogens) | F, Cl, Br, I | −1 |
| 18 (noble gases) | He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe | 0 — rarely form ions |
Hydrogen usually forms H⁺ (+1), but with very reactive metals it forms the hydride ion H⁻ (−1).
Transition metals with more than one charge
| Element | Charges | Names (Stock / classical) |
|---|---|---|
| Iron (Fe) | +2, +3 | iron(II) / ferrous; iron(III) / ferric |
| Copper (Cu) | +1, +2 | copper(I) / cuprous; copper(II) / cupric |
| Tin (Sn) | +2, +4 | tin(II) / stannous; tin(IV) / stannic |
| Lead (Pb) | +2, +4 | lead(II) / plumbous; lead(IV) / plumbic |
| Cobalt (Co) | +2, +3 | cobalt(II); cobalt(III) |
| Chromium (Cr) | +2, +3, +6 | chromium(III) most common |
| Manganese (Mn) | +2, +4, +7 | manganese(II); +7 in permanganate |
| Mercury (Hg) | +1 (as Hg₂²⁺), +2 | mercury(I); mercury(II) |
| Gold (Au) | +1, +3 | gold(I); gold(III) |
Silver (+1), zinc (+2) and cadmium (+2) have one common charge, so their names usually omit the Roman numeral. When a metal has several possible charges, the Roman numeral in the name tells you which: iron(III) oxide is Fe₂O₃.
Common polyatomic ions
| Ion | Formula | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Ammonium | NH₄⁺ | +1 |
| Hydronium | H₃O⁺ | +1 |
| Acetate | CH₃COO⁻ | −1 |
| Hydroxide | OH⁻ | −1 |
| Nitrate | NO₃⁻ | −1 |
| Nitrite | NO₂⁻ | −1 |
| Hydrogen carbonate (bicarbonate) | HCO₃⁻ | −1 |
| Hydrogen sulfate | HSO₄⁻ | −1 |
| Dihydrogen phosphate | H₂PO₄⁻ | −1 |
| Chlorate | ClO₃⁻ | −1 |
| Perchlorate | ClO₄⁻ | −1 |
| Hypochlorite | ClO⁻ | −1 |
| Permanganate | MnO₄⁻ | −1 |
| Cyanide | CN⁻ | −1 |
| Carbonate | CO₃²⁻ | −2 |
| Sulfate | SO₄²⁻ | −2 |
| Sulfite | SO₃²⁻ | −2 |
| Hydrogen phosphate | HPO₄²⁻ | −2 |
| Chromate | CrO₄²⁻ | −2 |
| Dichromate | Cr₂O₇²⁻ | −2 |
| Oxalate | C₂O₄²⁻ | −2 |
| Phosphate | PO₄³⁻ | −3 |
Writing ionic formulas: the criss-cross method
- Write the cation first, then the anion, with their charges: Al³⁺ and O²⁻.
- Find the lowest common multiple of the charge sizes: 6.
- Work out how many of each ion give that total: 2 Al³⁺ (+6) and 3 O²⁻ (−6).
- Write the numbers as subscripts: Al₂O₃.
- Put polyatomic ions in brackets when you need more than one: Ca(OH)₂, (NH₄)₂SO₄.
- Check that the total charge is zero.
The shortcut “criss-cross” method swaps the charge numbers into subscripts and then simplifies: Mg²⁺ and O²⁻ give Mg₂O₂, which simplifies to MgO. The formula builder above shows the step using the lowest common multiple.
Worked examples
| Ions | Formula | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Na⁺ + Cl⁻ | NaCl | sodium chloride |
| Ca²⁺ + Cl⁻ | CaCl₂ | calcium chloride |
| Al³⁺ + O²⁻ | Al₂O₃ | aluminium oxide |
| Fe³⁺ + SO₄²⁻ | Fe₂(SO₄)₃ | iron(III) sulfate |
| NH₄⁺ + PO₄³⁻ | (NH₄)₃PO₄ | ammonium phosphate |
| Cu²⁺ + NO₃⁻ | Cu(NO₃)₂ | copper(II) nitrate |
Naming ionic compounds
Name the cation first, then the anion. Metal cations keep the element name (sodium, calcium), with a Roman numeral for metals that can have more than one charge (iron(III)). Simple anions change their ending to “-ide”: chlorine becomes chloride, oxygen becomes oxide, nitrogen becomes nitride. Polyatomic ions keep their own names — sulfate, nitrate, ammonium. So Fe₂O₃ is iron(III) oxide, CaCl₂ is calcium chloride, and (NH₄)₂SO₄ is ammonium sulfate. Prefixes such as mono-, di- and tri- are used for covalent compounds between non-metals, not for ionic compounds.
Charges and the periodic table’s shape
Moving across a period, the charge of main-group ions follows a pattern: +1, +2, then +3 for group 13, then the non-metals take −3, −2 and −1 as they gain electrons to fill their outer shell. Group 14 sits in the middle, where gaining or losing four electrons is energetically difficult, so carbon and silicon share electrons in covalent bonds instead. Transition metals lose their outer s electrons first and then varying numbers of d electrons, which is why they have several possible charges.
Using the printable charts
The printable periodic table with charges shows each element’s symbol, atomic number and most common charge, colour-coded by category, with a black-and-white version for photocopying. The companion sheets list transition metal charges and polyatomic ions, and a practice worksheet with an answer key builds confidence writing formulas. Keep them in a chemistry binder or on the wall above your desk.
Important caveats
Charges shown are the most common ones in introductory chemistry. Many elements, especially transition metals and heavier main-group elements, show other oxidation states in particular compounds. Carbon and silicon usually form covalent bonds rather than simple ions. For superheavy elements, chemistry is largely unknown. Use your course’s data sheet when it differs.
Privacy
The interactive table runs entirely in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
What charge does oxygen have?
−2 as the oxide ion O²⁻.
How do I know the charge of a transition metal?
From the Roman numeral in the compound’s name or from the anion’s charge in the formula.
Why do noble gases have no charge?
Their outer electron shells are already stable, so they rarely form ions.
What is the charge of a sulfate ion?
−2 (SO₄²⁻).
How do I write the formula for aluminium oxide?
Balance Al³⁺ and O²⁻: 2 × (+3) = 3 × (−2), so Al₂O₃.
Is the table free to use?
Yes, the interactive table is free; printable charts are in the paid pack.