Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for lithium sulfide?
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3. Chemical Reactions
Naming Ionic Compounds
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Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for magnesium fluoride?
A
MgF2
B
Mg2F
C
Mg2F2
D
MgF
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the charges of the ions involved: magnesium typically forms a Mg^{2+} ion, and fluoride forms an F^{-} ion.
Determine the ratio of ions needed to balance the overall charge to zero. Since Mg^{2+} has a +2 charge and F^{-} has a -1 charge, two fluoride ions are needed to balance one magnesium ion.
Write the chemical formula by placing the magnesium ion symbol first, followed by the fluoride ion symbol with a subscript indicating the number of fluoride ions required to balance the charge.
The resulting formula is MgF_{2}, indicating one magnesium ion combined with two fluoride ions.
Verify that the total positive and negative charges balance out to zero, confirming the formula is electrically neutral.
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