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Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for magnesium nitrate?
A
Mg2N3O6
B
MgNO3
C
Mg2(NO3)3
D
Mg(NO3)2
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Identify the ions involved. Magnesium typically forms a Mg^{2+} ion, and the nitrate ion is NO_3^{-}.
Step 2: Determine the charges of the ions. Magnesium has a charge of +2, and nitrate has a charge of -1.
Step 3: Balance the total positive and negative charges to form a neutral compound. Since Mg^{2+} has a +2 charge, you need two NO_3^{-} ions to balance the charge (2 × -1 = -2).
Step 4: Write the chemical formula by placing the magnesium ion first, followed by the nitrate ion with a subscript indicating the number of nitrate ions needed to balance the charge: Mg(NO_3)_2.
Step 5: Verify that the formula is electrically neutral and correctly represents the ratio of ions.