A powdered mixture of solid magnesium metal and nitrogen gas is heated in a sealed…
CHEMISTRY · Multi-part · AP · Chemistry · Atomic Structure and Properties · Atomic Structure and Properties
Problem
A powdered mixture of solid magnesium metal and nitrogen gas is heated in a sealed reaction vessel until complete reaction occurs, producing a single ionic compound.
Assume the only product contains magnesium ions and nitride ions.
(a) Identify the number of valence electrons present in a single atom of each reactant element before the reaction occurs.
(b) Predict the most probable ionic charge for each element after the reaction, based on periodic trends. Explain your reasoning.
(c) Write the formula unit for the single product formed in the reaction.
(d) Justify the subscripts used in the formula in part (c) by discussing electrostatic neutrality and the relative numbers of electrons transferred.