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Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for barium phosphate?
A
Ba3(PO4)2
B
Ba2(PO4)3
C
Ba(PO4)2
D
BaPO4
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the ions involved: barium is a metal that forms a cation with a charge of +2, written as Ba^{2+}, and phosphate is a polyatomic ion with the formula PO_4^{3-}.
Determine the charges of the ions: Ba^{2+} has a +2 charge, and PO_4^{3-} has a -3 charge. The compound must be electrically neutral overall.
Find the lowest common multiple (LCM) of the charges 2 and 3, which is 6. This means the total positive charge and total negative charge must each sum to 6 to balance the compound.
Calculate the number of each ion needed to balance the charges: to get +6 from Ba^{2+}, you need 3 barium ions (3 × +2 = +6), and to get -6 from PO_4^{3-}, you need 2 phosphate ions (2 × -3 = -6).
Write the formula by placing the number of ions as subscripts: Ba_3(PO_4)_2, which shows 3 barium ions and 2 phosphate ions combined to form a neutral compound.