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General Chemistry

Learn the toughest concepts covered in Chemistry with step-by-step video tutorials and practice problems by world-class tutors

3. Chemical Reactions

Writing Ionic Compounds

Determining the charges of a cation and anion are fundamental in Writing Ionic Compounds.

Writing Ionic Compounds
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concept

Writing Ionic Compounds

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here we have the rules for writing ionic compounds. Now, Step one. We write the ions involved in the compound from the provided name step to use these ions to write the formula of the Ionic compound. So if we take a look here, we have aluminum nitride and berry, um, phosphate. All right, so we're gonna say aluminum is in group three A. Because of that, it's charge is plus three or three plus. So that's why you write it as a all three plus nitride. I would mean that it is a non metal, and it had its ending change to ID. Nitrogen is in group 58 so his charge is three minus. Now, if you don't quite remember the charges associated with the different groups of the periodic table, make sure you go back and take a look at my videos on the periodic table charges. Okay, that will help you see all the elements of the periodic table. And what are the common types of charges based on the location of the element. Now, for this first one, when numbers in charges are the same, So here the numbers are three and three. Okay, so the numbers are three and three. They cancel out to combine the elements. So since they both have three in their charges, they just cancel out its aluminum nitride will be a little end now, Barry, Um, phosphate barium is in group two way. So it's charges two plus phosphate is one of our Polly atomic ions. It's one of our common tetra oxides. Its formula is peel for three minus. Now, when the numbers in charges air different here, this is to when this is three. Then they crisscross. They crisscross to combine the elements. So what I mean by crisscross is that the two from here would come here and the three from here would come here. That would give me if we look it. Give me be a The three came down here. Now this, too, is for the entire Polly Atomic ion for both phosphorus and oxygen. So because it's for both of them, I have to put it in parentheses, p 04 and then the little too. So that would represent barium phosphate. These are the things you must do when given the name of an Ionic compound right out its ions. And then look to see are the numbers and the charges the same. If so, they cancel out. Are they different? If so, crisscross them. Now, doing this crisscrossing motion, we don't have to worry about crisscrossing the charges. Okay, so you're only crisscrossing the numbers. Doing this type of action takes care of the charges on them on their own, so just ignore them. Okay, So these will be our two formulas for these ionic compounds. Now that we've gotten down the basics will move on to some problems and put what we just learned into practice.
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example

Writing Ionic Compounds Example 1

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here in this example question, it says provide the molecular formula for the following compound. We have magnesium sulfate, so magnesium is MG. Magnesium is in group two A. So it's charge is plus two or two plus now, Saul, fate okay, eight is a good indicator that this is a poly atomic ion. If you remember, sulfate is one of our common types of tetra oxides, meaning that we have four oxygen's involved. Alright, So soft means we're dealing with sulfur. It is one of our common tetroxide. So it has four oxygen's and it has a charge of two minus. The poly atomic ions can be a little bit of annoying, but again go back and review the polic atomic ions if you don't remember them. Now we look at our M g two plus and R S L four to minus. Look at the numbers within the charges. Here we have it too. And here we have it too. Remember when the numbers are the same, they just cancel out and then you combine the elements together. So the two plus in the tu minus cancel out. So what we'll have left is MG s So magnesium sulfate is represented by M. G s 04
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Problem

Provide the molecular formula for the following compound:Copper (I) nitrate

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Problem

Provide the molecular formula for the following compound:Sodium dichromate

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