Give the formula for lithium nitride.
Nitride is N3-. Three Li+ ions balance one N3-: Li3N. This compound actually forms when lithium metal sits in nitrogen gas.
What Charge Does Lithium Form?
Lithium commonly forms Li+ in introductory ionic compounds.
Lithium always forms a 1+ ion, Li+. You see it in LiCl (lithium chloride), Li2O (lithium oxide), and the lithium-ion batteries in your phone, where Li+ shuttles between electrodes.
| Element | Lithium |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Li |
| Atomic number | 3 |
| Common ionic charge | +1 |
| Common ions | Li+ |
Visual reference
Lithium element image and atomic model
Images are used as visual references; charge rules still depend on the compound.
Why Lithium gives up exactly one electron
Lithium's configuration is 1s2 2s1 — one lonely electron outside a helium core. Dropping that 2s electron leaves the stable 1s2 arrangement, and the second ionization energy is over ten times larger than the first, so lithium never goes past 1+.
The formula slip students make with Lithium
Writing Li2+ 'because lithium is in period 2.' Period number tells you the shell being filled, not the charge. The group number (Group 1) is what sets the +1 charge.
Worked example: Li in a formula problem
Li+ in real compounds
LiCl
Lithium chloride
Li+ balances chloride ions.
Li2O
Lithium oxide
Lithium can form oxides where total positive and negative charge balances.
Questions students ask about lithium
Is the lithium in batteries Li+ or lithium metal?
Both, at different moments. The anode stores neutral lithium atoms; during discharge each atom releases an electron to the circuit and travels through the electrolyte as Li+.
Why is lithium's ion smaller than sodium's?
Li+ has only the 1s2 core — a single shell. Na+ has two shells. Fewer shells means a smaller radius, which is why Li+ packs so tightly into battery electrode materials.
Does lithium ever bond covalently?
Organolithium reagents like butyllithium have significant covalent character, but in ionic-compound problems you treat lithium as Li+ without exception.
How do I use this charge in formulas?
Combine positive and negative ions so the total charge is zero — or let the ionic compound calculator do the crossing for you. The full chart lives on the periodic table with charges.
Where this data comes from
Charges and element facts on this page are checked against the primary references below. Found an error? Email hello@periodictablewithcharges.com — corrections ship in the next content update. See how this site is edited.