Multiple Choice
Which salt is formed when zinc reacts with nitric acid, and what is its chemical formula?
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3. Chemical Reactions
Naming Ionic Compounds
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What is the correct name for the ionic compound CaO?
A
Calcium peroxide
B
Calcium oxide
C
Calcium carbonate
D
Calcium hydroxide
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the ions present in the compound CaO. Calcium (Ca) is a metal that forms a cation with a charge of +2, written as Ca^{2+}. Oxygen (O) is a nonmetal that forms an anion with a charge of -2, written as O^{2-}.
Determine the ratio of the ions in the compound. Since Ca^{2+} and O^{2-} have charges of equal magnitude but opposite sign, they combine in a 1:1 ratio to form a neutral compound.
Name the cation first, which is the metal ion. For Ca^{2+}, the name is 'Calcium'.
Name the anion second, which is the nonmetal ion. For O^{2-}, the root name of oxygen is used with the suffix '-ide', resulting in 'oxide'.
Combine the names of the cation and anion to get the full name of the ionic compound: 'Calcium oxide'.
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