Chapter 3: Problem 64
Write the formula for the following substances: (a) Sodium hydrogen carbonate (baking soda) (b) Potassium nitrate (a backache remedy) (c) Calcium carbonate (an antacid) (d) Ammonium nitrate (first aid cold packs)
Short Answer
Expert verified
(a) NaHCO鈧, (b) KNO鈧, (c) CaCO鈧, (d) NH鈧凬O鈧
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Chemical Composition
Begin by identifying the components of each substance from their names. (a) Sodium hydrogen carbonate contains sodium (Na), hydrogen (H), carbon (C), and oxygen (O). (b) Potassium nitrate consists of potassium (K), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O). (c) Calcium carbonate is composed of calcium (Ca), carbon (C), and oxygen (O). (d) Ammonium nitrate contains ammonium ion (NH鈧勨伜) and nitrate ion (NO鈧冣伝).
02
Write the Ion Forms
Next, express these components in the form of ions. For (a), sodium ion is Na鈦, hydrogen carbonate ion is HCO鈧冣伝. For (b), potassium ion is K鈦, and nitrate ion is NO鈧冣伝. For (c), calcium ion is Ca虏鈦, and carbonate ion is CO鈧兟测伝. For (d), ammonium ion is NH鈧勨伜, and nitrate ion is NO鈧冣伝.
03
Combine Ions to Form Chemical Formulas
Combine the ions while ensuring charge balance. For (a) Sodium hydrogen carbonate: Na鈦 and HCO鈧冣伝 combine to NaHCO鈧. For (b) Potassium nitrate: K鈦 and NO鈧冣伝 combine to KNO鈧. For (c) Calcium carbonate: Ca虏鈦 and CO鈧兟测伝 combine to CaCO鈧. For (d) Ammonium nitrate: NH鈧勨伜 and NO鈧冣伝 combine to NH鈧凬O鈧.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Ionic Compounds
Ionic compounds are formed when metals and non-metals combine through a transfer of electrons. This results in positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions) coming together due to their opposite charges. This transfer creates strong ionic bonds between the ions, and this is the fundamental concept behind ionic compounds such as sodium hydrogen carbonate and calcium carbonate. For example, in sodium hydrogen carbonate (\( NaHCO_3 \)), sodium ions form a bond with hydrogen carbonate ions, producing a stable compound that is widely used in baking.
- Metal gives away electrons, becoming a cation (positive charge)
- Non-metal accepts electrons, becoming an anion (negative charge)
- These ions stabilize each other through electrostatic attraction
Charge Balance
The principle behind writing the chemical formulas of ionic compounds is charge balance. This means that the total positive charge should equal the total negative charge to create a neutral compound.
Let's take the example of calcium carbonate (\( CaCO_3 \)). Calcium contributes a charge of +2 (\( Ca^{2+} \)), and carbonate has a charge of -2 (\( CO_3^{2-} \)). When combined, the charges cancel out, resulting in a balanced chemical formula.
Following this idea ensures ionic compounds are stable and correctly represented in formulas:
Let's take the example of calcium carbonate (\( CaCO_3 \)). Calcium contributes a charge of +2 (\( Ca^{2+} \)), and carbonate has a charge of -2 (\( CO_3^{2-} \)). When combined, the charges cancel out, resulting in a balanced chemical formula.
Following this idea ensures ionic compounds are stable and correctly represented in formulas:
- Write cations first followed by anions
- Adjust the ratio of ions so the sum of their charges is zero
- Check the overall neutrality of the compound
Chemical Composition
Chemical composition refers to the types and quantities of atoms that make up a substance. It is essential to understand the composition to identify the correct ions and their proportions to form ionic compounds.
For example, understanding that ammonium nitrate (\( NH_4NO_3 \)) is composed of ammonium (\( NH_4^+ \)) and nitrate (\( NO_3^- \)) ions helps in formulating the compound's chemical structure. The precise knowledge of chemical composition enables scientists to describe substances fully:
For example, understanding that ammonium nitrate (\( NH_4NO_3 \)) is composed of ammonium (\( NH_4^+ \)) and nitrate (\( NO_3^- \)) ions helps in formulating the compound's chemical structure. The precise knowledge of chemical composition enables scientists to describe substances fully:
- Identify each element involved and their respective ions
- Determine the number of atoms needed from each ion to establish compound neutrality
- Translate these into accurate chemical formulas
Educational Chemistry
In educational chemistry, one of the primary goals is to simplify complex chemical concepts to improve understanding. The focus is on bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
By learning to write chemical formulas for substances like sodium hydrogen carbonate or ammonium nitrate, students can actively navigate the chemical landscape, applying their understanding to real-world problems and experiments.
By learning to write chemical formulas for substances like sodium hydrogen carbonate or ammonium nitrate, students can actively navigate the chemical landscape, applying their understanding to real-world problems and experiments.
- Simplify concepts like ionic bonding and charge balance for easier understanding
- Use everyday examples to illustrate how chemical formulas relate to practical substances
- Encourage active learning by involving problem-solving exercises