Textbook Question
Determine the number of each type of atom in each formula. b. CuSO4 d. Mg(HCO3)2
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Ch.3 - Molecules, Compounds & Chemical Equations
Tro4th EditionChemistry: A Molecular ApproachISBN: 9780134112831
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Table of contents
- Ch.1 - Matter, Measurement & Problem Solving136
- Ch.2 - Atoms & Elements112
- Ch.3 - Molecules, Compounds & Chemical Equations159
- Ch.4 - Chemical Quantities & Aqueous Reactions140
- Ch.5 - Gases118
- Ch.6 - Thermochemistry106
- Ch.7 - Quantum-Mechanical Model of the Atom62
- Ch.8 - Periodic Properties of the Elements103
- Ch.9 - Chemical Bonding I: The Lewis Model104
- Ch.10 - Chemical Bonding II: Molecular Shapes & Valence Bond Theory89
- Ch.11 - Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces73
- Ch.12 - Solids and Modern Material59
- Ch.13 - Solutions110
- Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics140
- Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium78
- Ch.16 - Acids and Bases155
- Ch.17 - Aqueous Ionic Equilibrium176
- Ch.18 - Free Energy and Thermodynamics108
- Ch.19 - Electrochemistry118
- Ch.20 - Radioactivity and Nuclear Chemistry82
- Ch.21 - Organic Chemistry150
Chapter 3, Problem 24a,d
Determine the number of each type of atom in each formula. a. Ca(NO2)2 d. Mg(HCO3)2
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the elements present in the compound: Calcium (Ca), Nitrogen (N), and Oxygen (O).
Recognize that the subscript outside the parentheses applies to all elements inside the parentheses. Here, (NO2)2 means there are 2 NO2 groups.
Calculate the number of Calcium (Ca) atoms: There is no subscript next to Ca, so there is 1 Ca atom.
Calculate the number of Nitrogen (N) atoms: Each NO2 group contains 1 N atom, and there are 2 NO2 groups, so there are 2 N atoms.
Calculate the number of Oxygen (O) atoms: Each NO2 group contains 2 O atoms, and there are 2 NO2 groups, so there are 4 O atoms.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Chemical Formula Interpretation
A chemical formula represents the types and numbers of atoms in a compound. In the formula Ca(NO2)2, 'Ca' stands for calcium, while 'NO2' indicates a nitrite group. The subscript '2' outside the parentheses means that there are two nitrite groups in the compound, which affects the total count of nitrogen and oxygen atoms.
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Intepreting the Band of Stability
Counting Atoms in Compounds
To determine the number of each type of atom in a compound, one must account for both the elements present and their respective subscripts. For example, in Ca(NO2)2, there is one calcium atom, two nitrogen atoms (from 2 x NO2), and four oxygen atoms (from 2 x 2 in NO2). This systematic counting is essential for understanding the composition of the compound.
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Parentheses in Chemical Formulas
Parentheses in chemical formulas indicate that the enclosed group of atoms is a distinct unit that can be multiplied by a subscript. In Ca(NO2)2, the parentheses around NO2 signify that the entire nitrite group is repeated twice, which is crucial for accurately calculating the total number of each atom in the compound.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Write a chemical formula for each molecular model. (See Appendix IIA for color codes.) (a)
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How many atoms are specified by each of these prefixes: mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, hexa-?