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Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for aluminum hypochlorite?
A
Al(ClO)3
B
AlClO3
C
Al(ClO2)3
D
AlCl3
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Identify the ions involved. Aluminum typically forms a cation with a charge of +3, written as Al^{3+}. The hypochlorite ion is a polyatomic ion with the formula ClO^{-} and a charge of -1.
Step 2: Determine the ratio of ions needed to balance the charges. Since aluminum has a +3 charge and hypochlorite has a -1 charge, three hypochlorite ions are needed to balance one aluminum ion, resulting in a neutral compound.
Step 3: Write the chemical formula by placing the aluminum ion first, followed by the hypochlorite ion in parentheses with a subscript of 3 to indicate three hypochlorite ions: Al(ClO)_{3}.
Step 4: Verify that the formula represents a neutral compound by checking the total charge: +3 from Al and 3 × (-1) from ClO, which sums to zero.
Step 5: Confirm that the other options do not correctly represent aluminum hypochlorite: AlClO_{3} suggests a different ion, Al(ClO_{2})_{3} uses chlorite instead of hypochlorite, and AlCl_{3} is aluminum chloride.