Periodic table with charges
Each tile shows the charge of the ion the element usually forms. Tap one to see why.
1HHydrogen+1 −12HeHelium03LiLithium+14BeBeryllium+25BBoron+36CCarbon+4 +27NNitrogen−38OOxygen−29FFluorine−110NeNeon011NaSodium+112MgMagnesium+213AlAluminum+314SiSilicon+4 +215PPhosphorus−316SSulfur−217ClChlorine−118ArArgon019KPotassium+120CaCalcium+221ScScandium+322TiTitanium+4 +323VVanadium+5 +424CrChromium+6 +325MnManganese+7 +426FeIron+3 +227CoCobalt+3 +228NiNickel+3 +229CuCopper+2 +130ZnZinc+231GaGallium+332GeGermanium+4 +233AsArsenic+5 +334SeSelenium−235BrBromine−136KrKrypton037RbRubidium+138SrStrontium+239YYttrium+340ZrZirconium+441NbNiobium+5 +342MoMolybdenum+643TcTechnetium+7 +644RuRuthenium+345RhRhodium+346PdPalladium+3 +247AgSilver+148CdCadmium+249InIndium+350SnTin+4 +251SbAntimony+5 +352TeTellurium+6 +453IIodine−154XeXenon055CsCesium+156BaBarium+257LaLanthanum+358CeCerium+4 +359PrPraseodymium+360NdNeodymium+361PmPromethium+362SmSamarium+3 +263EuEuropium+3 +264GdGadolinium+365TbTerbium+366DyDysprosium+367HoHolmium+368ErErbium+369TmThulium+370YbYtterbium+3 +271LuLutetium+372HfHafnium+473TaTantalum+574WTungsten+675ReRhenium+7 +676OsOsmium+4 +377IrIridium+4 +378PtPlatinum+4 +279AuGold+3 +180HgMercury+2 +181TlThallium+1 +382PbLead+4 +283BiBismuth+5 +384PoPolonium+4 +285AtAstatine−186RnRadon087FrFrancium+188RaRadium+289AcActinium+390ThThorium+491PaProtactinium+5 +492UUranium+6 +593NpNeptunium+6 +594PuPlutonium+6 +595AmAmericium+6 +596CmCurium+397BkBerkelium+4 +398CfCalifornium+399EsEinsteinium+3100FmFermium+3101MdMendelevium+3 +2102NoNobelium+3 +2103LrLawrencium+3104RfRutherfordium+4105DbDubnium5 4106SgSeaborgium6 5107BhBohrium7 5108HsHassium8 6109MtMeitnerium9 8110DsDarmstadtium8 6111RgRoentgenium5 3112CnCopernicium2 1113NhNihonium+3114FlFlerovium6 4115McMoscovium3 1116LvLivermorium+4 +2117TsTennessine−1118OgOganesson0
Na11 · Sodium
Alkali metal
- Atomic mass
- 22.99
- Per shell
- 2, 8, 1
- Valence electrons
- 1
- Protons · neutrons
- 11 · 12
- Configuration
- [Ne] 3s¹
The charge pattern by group
| Group | Valence electrons | What the atom does | Ion charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (alkali metals) | 1 | Loses 1 electron | +1 |
| 2 (alkaline earth metals) | 2 | Loses 2 electrons | +2 |
| 13 | 3 | Loses 3 electrons | +3 |
| 14 | 4 | Usually shares electrons | ±4 (varies) |
| 15 | 5 | Gains 3 electrons | −3 |
| 16 | 6 | Gains 2 electrons | −2 |
| 17 (halogens) | 7 | Gains 1 electron | −1 |
| 18 (noble gases) | 8 (helium 2) | Already full | 0 |
| 3–12 (transition metals) | varies | Lose different numbers | Often +2, +3; several possible |
Common ions of main-group elements
- HHydrogen: +1, −1
- HeHelium: 0
- LiLithium: +1
- BeBeryllium: +2
- BBoron: +3
- CCarbon: +4, +2
- NNitrogen: −3
- OOxygen: −2
- FFluorine: −1
- NeNeon: 0
- NaSodium: +1
- MgMagnesium: +2
- AlAluminum: +3
- SiSilicon: +4, +2
- PPhosphorus: −3
- SSulfur: −2
- ClChlorine: −1
- ArArgon: 0
- KPotassium: +1
- CaCalcium: +2
- GaGallium: +3
- GeGermanium: +4, +2
- AsArsenic: +5, +3
- SeSelenium: −2
- BrBromine: −1
- KrKrypton: 0
- RbRubidium: +1
- SrStrontium: +2
- InIndium: +3
- SnTin: +4, +2
- SbAntimony: +5, +3
- TeTellurium: +6, +4
- IIodine: −1
- XeXenon: 0
- CsCesium: +1
- BaBarium: +2
Questions about ion charges
How do you find the charge of an element on the periodic table?
Use its group. Group 1 forms +1 ions, group 2 forms +2, group 13 forms +3, group 15 forms −3, group 16 forms −2 and group 17 forms −1. Group 18 (noble gases) stays neutral. Transition metals can form more than one charge.
Why do metals form positive ions?
Metals have only a few valence electrons, so it takes less energy to lose them than to gain enough for a full shell. Losing negative electrons leaves a positive ion.
What charge does iron have?
Iron commonly forms Fe²⁺ (iron(II)) and Fe³⁺ (iron(III)). The Roman numeral in a compound name tells you which.