Periodic Table with Charges
The most common ion charge for each element, printed on its tile. Where an element has two common charges, both are shown, most common first.
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The group rule
Atoms gain or lose electrons until they reach the electron arrangement of the nearest noble gas. For main-group elements that makes the charge predictable from the column alone:
| Group | Family | Charge | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alkali metals | 1+ | Na⁺, K⁺ |
| 2 | Alkaline earth metals | 2+ | Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ |
| 13 | Boron group | 3+ | Al³⁺ |
| 14 | Carbon group | 4+ / 4− (mostly covalent) | C⁴⁻ in carbides |
| 15 | Pnictogens | 3− | N³⁻, P³⁻ |
| 16 | Chalcogens | 2− | O²⁻, S²⁻ |
| 17 | Halogens | 1− | F⁻, Cl⁻ |
| 18 | Noble gases | 0 | none |
Transition metals with more than one charge
| Element | Common charges | Names |
|---|---|---|
| Titanium (Ti) | 4+, 3+ | titanium(IV), titanium(III) |
| Vanadium (V) | 5+, 3+ | vanadium(V), vanadium(III) |
| Chromium (Cr) | 3+, 6+ | chromium(III), chromium(VI) |
| Manganese (Mn) | 2+, 4+, 7+ | manganese(II), manganese(IV), manganese(VII) |
| Iron (Fe) | 2+, 3+ | iron(II), iron(III) |
| Cobalt (Co) | 2+, 3+ | cobalt(II), cobalt(III) |
| Copper (Cu) | +, 2+ | copper(I), copper(II) |
| Platinum (Pt) | 2+, 4+ | platinum(II), platinum(IV) |
| Gold (Au) | +, 3+ | gold(I), gold(III) |
| Mercury (Hg) | +, 2+ | mercury(I), mercury(II) |
Questions students ask
How do you find the charge of an element from the periodic table?
For main-group elements, use the group. Groups 1, 2 and 13 lose 1, 2 and 3 electrons (charges 1+, 2+, 3+). Groups 15, 16 and 17 gain 3, 2 and 1 electrons (3−, 2−, 1−). Group 14 usually shares electrons instead. Group 18 does not form ions.
Why do transition metals have more than one charge?
Their outer s electrons and inner d electrons are close in energy, so they can lose different numbers. Iron forms Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺; copper forms Cu⁺ and Cu²⁺. The Roman numeral in a name such as iron(III) chloride tells you which.
What is the difference between charge and oxidation number?
A charge is real: it belongs to an ion. An oxidation number is a bookkeeping value assigned to every atom, even in covalent molecules. For a simple ion such as Cl⁻ the two are the same. Use the oxidation number calculator for compounds.