[enantiomorph]

Hi there, I am confused over a question asked by my chemistry book for writing the formula in both their "molecular form" and "polyatomic ionic form" of a compound.  I was wondering if anyone may please clarify for me.  Thanks!!

The compounds were sodium hypochlorite and sodium thiosulfate.  I simply know these two compounds as NaClO and Na2S2O3 respectively.  What do they mean "molecular form" and "polyatomic ionic form"?

[Dan]

This is a guess, I haven't come accross "polyatomic ionic form" either, but perhaps it's like

sodium hydroxide
molecular: NaOH
polyatomic ionic: Na⁺OH^-

It should be defined in the book somewhere.

[Morphic flip]

I think "Dan" is spot on, the + and - enabling the cation and anion bonding together.

[english]

Never heard of that before.  I think they just mean to separate the polyatomic anion from the cation.

Not really that important, just to help you realize that the anion is multiple atoms and is not separable as an anion.