Question

Write the formula for each of the following acids and bases: a. barium hydroxide b. hydroiodic acid c. nitric acid d. strontium hydroxide e. sodium hydroxide f. chloric acid

Short answer

Ba(OH)₂, HI, HNO₃, Sr(OH)₂, NaOH, HClO₃

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Chemical Components

Break down each name to identify the chemical components of the compound. For example, barium hydroxide consists of barium (Ba) and hydroxide (OH).

Determine the Charges

Determine the charge of each component. Barium (Ba) has a +2 charge, and hydroxide (OH) has a -1 charge.

Combine the Ions Properly

Combine the ions to ensure the compound is neutral. For barium hydroxide, you need two hydroxide ions for one barium ion to balance the +2 charge of Ba with two -1 charges from OH, thus Ba(OH)₂.

Repeat for Each Compound

Repeat these steps for hydroiodic acid (H and I), nitric acid (H and NO₃), strontium hydroxide (Sr and OH), sodium hydroxide (Na and OH), and chloric acid (H and ClO₃).

Key concepts

chemical components

When dealing with acids and bases, it's important to understand their chemical components. Each acid or base has two parts: a positive ion (cation) and a negative ion (anion).
For example, in barium hydroxide (Ba(OH)₂), barium (Ba) is the cation, and hydroxide (OH) is the anion.
Identifying these components is the first step in writing chemical formulas. Here are the components for the acids and bases in our exercise:

• Barium hydroxide: Ba (cation) and OH (anion)
• Hydroiodic acid: H (cation) and I (anion)
• Nitric acid: H (cation) and NO₃ (anion)
• Strontium hydroxide: Sr (cation) and OH (anion)
• Sodium hydroxide: Na (cation) and OH (anion)
• Chloric acid: H (cation) and ClO₃ (anion)

After identifying these components, we can proceed to determine their charges and combine them properly.

ion charges

Understanding ion charges is crucial for writing correct chemical formulas. Each element or polyatomic ion has a specific charge, often determined by its position in the periodic table or its common oxidation states.
For example, barium (Ba) belongs to group 2 of the periodic table and typically has a +2 charge. The hydroxide ion (OH) has a -1 charge. These charges help in combining the ions accurately.
Here are the charges for our exercise components:

• Barium (Ba): +2
• Hydroxide (OH): -1
• Hydrogen (H): +1
• Iodide (I): -1
• Nitrate (NO₃): -1
• Strontium (Sr): +2
• Sodium (Na): +1
• Chlorate (ClO₃): -1

Knowing these charges allows us to combine ions so that their overall charge is neutral, leading us to the correct chemical formula.

chemical neutrality

Chemical neutrality means that the total positive charge of the cations in a compound is balanced by the total negative charge of the anions.
This is essential because compounds must have no overall charge. For instance, in barium hydroxide, barium has a +2 charge, and two hydroxide ions, each with a -1 charge, are needed to balance the +2 charge of barium, resulting in the formula Ba(OH)₂.
Applying this to our exercise:

• Hydroiodic acid: H and I both have charges of +1 and -1 respectively, combining to form HI.
• Nitric acid: One hydrogen ion (H, +1) combines with one nitrate ion (NO₃, -1) to form HNO₃.
• Strontium hydroxide: One strontium ion (Sr, +2) balances with two hydroxide ions (OH, -1 each), giving Sr(OH)₂.
• Sodium hydroxide: Sodium (Na, +1) and hydroxide (OH, -1) balance to form NaOH.
• Chloric acid: One hydrogen ion (H, +1) combines with chlorate (ClO₃, -1) to form HClO₃.

By ensuring that the charges are balanced, we maintain chemical neutrality and get the correct formulas for these acids and bases.