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Multiple Choice
What is the correct name for the ionic compound formed between beryllium and chlorine?
A
Beryllium chlorate
B
Beryllium dichloride
C
Beryllium chloride
D
Beryllium(II) chloride
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the elements involved: beryllium (Be) is a metal and chlorine (Cl) is a nonmetal, so they form an ionic compound.
Determine the charges of the ions: beryllium typically forms a +2 charge (Be^{2+}), and chlorine forms a -1 charge (Cl^{-}).
Balance the charges to form a neutral compound: since Be^{2+} has a +2 charge and Cl^{-} has a -1 charge, two chloride ions are needed to balance one beryllium ion, giving the formula BeCl_{2}.
Name the compound by stating the metal first, followed by the nonmetal with its ending changed to '-ide': thus, the name is 'beryllium chloride'.
Note that since beryllium has only one common oxidation state (+2), there is no need to use Roman numerals in the name, so 'beryllium(II) chloride' is unnecessary.