Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Susie_Carlsom on July 24, 2007, 03:41:07 PM
-
Engrium sulfate has the formula, En2(SO4)3, while sodium nortonite has the formula Na2NtO3. Based on these names and formulas, what would you expect for the formula of engrium nortonate?
I came up with En2NtO3 Does this sound okay?
-
remember, sodium has the formal charge 1+ in ionic compounds, where sulfate has the formal charge 2-
What does this lead to for the formal charges of En and NtO3 ?
-
Would it cancel out the two?
-
based on the formal charge discussed by devadevil you must combine En and NtO3 to 'create' an uncharged molecule.
-
Im Confused ???
-
For ionic compounds, you will know the proportions in which they combine based solely on charge. Consider the example of sodium sulfate. Sodium ions, since they come from a group I metal, have a charge of +1. Sulfate ions have a charge of -2 (this is something you will probably just have to memorize). For sodium (Na+) and sulfate (SO42-) to form an ionic compound, the compound must have no net charge. For this to happen, sodium sulfate must have the formula Na2SO4. The two sodium ion contribute a +2 charge to balance out the -2 charge of the sulfate.
Now consider aluminum oxide. Aluminum ions have a +3 charge. Oxygen ions have a -2 charge. In order for them to balance, aluminum oxide must have a formula of Al2O3. The two aluminum ions contribute a 2x(+3) = +6 charge and the 3 oxygen ions contribute a 3x(-2) = -6 charge, giving aluminum oxide an overall charge of zero.
This principle can also be used to figure out the charge of unknown ions. Consider a particular form of tin chloride (SnCl2). Since we know that chlorine has a -1 charge (based on its position in the periodic table), the tin must have a +2 charge to balance out the -2 charge contributed by the two chloride ions.
-
Engrium sulfate has the formula, En2(SO4)3, while sodium nortonite has the formula Na2NtO3. Based on these names and formulas, what would you expect for the formula of engrium nortonate?
I came up with En2NtO3 Does this sound okay?
In analogy, balance double exchange reaction
Fe2(SO4)3 + Na2CO3 =
-
Okay so I end up with En2(NtO3)3 ??
-
exactly
-
Thanks alot for your assistance!