General Chemistry

Barium nitrite is an inorganic compound that consists of barium and nitrite ions. To determine the chemical formula for barium nitrite, we need to consider the charges of the barium ion and the nitrite ion. Step 1: Identify the ions and their charges. Barium is an alkaline earth metal found in Group 2 of the periodic table, and it typically forms a cation with a charge of +2, represented as Ba^2+. The nitrite ion is a polyatomic ion with the formula NO2^- and a charge of -1. Step 2: Determine the ratio of ions needed to balance the charges. Since the barium ion has a charge of +2 and the nitrite ion has a charge of -1, we need two nitrite ions to balance the charge of one barium ion. This is because the total positive charge must equal the total negative charge to result in a neutral compound. Step 3: Write the chemical formula. The chemical formula for barium nitrite is constructed by combining the barium ion with the appropriate number of nitrite ions to balance the charges. Since we need two nitrite ions for every barium ion, the formula is Ba(NO2)2. This indicates that there is one barium ion and two nitrite ions in each formula unit of barium nitrite. In summary, the chemical formula for barium nitrite is Ba(NO2)2, which reflects the stoichiometry of the compound where the charges of the constituent ions are balanced to yield a neutral compound.

Question

What is the chemical formula for barium nitrite (Ba(NO2)2)?

Solution

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