[xeomonk]

Hi I am suppose to write the formula for magnesium oxide

What I came up with is Mg₂O^2-. Is that correct?

Also, other question asks me to name lead(II) phosphate

I came up with Pb²⁺PO₄^3-

Can someone check to see if that is correct if not where did I go wrong.

Thank you

[Astrokel]

hey xeomonk,

magnesium oxide is wrong, Magnesium has two valence electrons, therefore it will form a magnesium ion of Mg²⁺, while oxygen in group 6 will accept these two electrons and form O^2- to result in both octet happy. Since the charge is already in a sense balanced, What do you think the formula will be?

as for the second part, your ions formula is right but you noticed the charge is not balanced, try again?

note that lets say sodium chloride, we don't often write the formula as Na⁺Cl^- but rather NaCl, because the charge is understood and it is balanced.

[macman104]

Neither of those are entirely correct, although they are close.

Here are two sites that provide little tutorials on writing ionic formulas.

http://www.ausetute.com.au/wriiform.html
http://members.aol.com/profchm/formwrit.html

[sjb]

note that lets say sodium chloride, we don't often write the formula as Na⁺Cl^- but rather NaCl, because the charge is understood and it is balanced.

It's still good practise to wrote down that step though, IMO.

For instance, what is the "charged" formulation for thallium triiodide?

S

[xeomonk]

On my first problem I came up with

MgO

and the  second

Pb₃(PO₄)₂

[Borek]

OK²