Multiple Choice
Which of the following is an accurate description of ionic compounds?
297
views
3. Chemical Reactions
Naming Ionic Compounds
Struggling with General Chemistry?
Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for barium fluoride?
A
BaF
B
Ba2F
C
Ba2F2
D
BaF2
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the ions involved: Barium (Ba) is a metal that typically forms a +2 charge as the Ba^{2+} ion, and fluoride (F) is a nonmetal that forms a -1 charge as the F^{-} ion.
Determine the ratio of ions needed to balance the charges so that the compound is electrically neutral. Since Ba^{2+} has a +2 charge and F^{-} has a -1 charge, two fluoride ions are needed to balance one barium ion.
Write the chemical formula by combining one Ba^{2+} ion with two F^{-} ions, resulting in BaF_2, where the subscript 2 indicates two fluoride ions.
Check the other options: BaF would have an unbalanced charge (+2 from Ba and -1 from F), Ba2F and Ba2F2 do not reflect the correct charge balance or common stoichiometry for barium fluoride.
Conclude that the correct chemical formula for barium fluoride is BaF_2, reflecting the proper charge balance and ionic composition.
2:11mWatch next
Master Ionic Compounds Naming with a bite sized video explanation from Jules
Start learningRelated Videos
Related Practice
Naming Ionic Compounds practice set
Problem sets built by lead tutorsExpert video explanations