Question

When a halogen forms an ion, what is the charge of the ion? When the nonmetals in the oxygen family form an ion, what is the charge of the ion? What is the charge of the ion formed by N and Al?

Short answer

A halogen ion typically has a charge of -1; an ion from the oxygen family has a charge of -2; nitrogen forms an ion with a charge of -3; aluminum forms an ion with a charge of +3.

Step-by-step solution

Determine the Charge of Halogen Ions

Halogens, which are found in Group 17 (VIIA) of the periodic table, typically gain one electron to achieve a full octet and become more stable. When a halogen atom gains one electron, it forms an anion (a negatively charged ion) with a charge of -1.

Determine the Charge of Nonmetals in the Oxygen Family

The nonmetals in the oxygen family, also known as chalcogens, are found in Group 16 (VIA) of the periodic table. These elements typically gain two electrons to achieve a full octet, forming anions with a charge of -2.

Determine the Charge of the Ion Formed by Nitrogen

Nitrogen, which is in Group 15 (VA) of the periodic table, typically gains three electrons to achieve a full octet. Therefore, the corresponding ion would have a charge of -3.

Determine the Charge of the Ion Formed by Aluminum

Aluminum is in Group 13 (IIIA) of the periodic table and typically loses three electrons to achieve a stable octet (aluminum has three electrons in its outer shell), forming a cation with a charge of +3.

Key concepts

Halogen Ions

Halogen ions are an essential part of chemistry, particularly in understanding ionic charges. These ions are formed when halogen atoms, which make up Group 17 (VIIA) of the periodic table, gain one electron. This process stabilizes the atom by giving it a full octet, the desirable eight electrons in its valence shell. As a result, halogen atoms such as fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), and iodine (I) turn into halide ions with a charge of -1. For instance, chlorine (Cl) becomes chloride (Cl^-), with the minus sign signifying a single negative charge due to the additional electron.

Ions play a critical role in chemical reactions, especially in the formation of salts. Take sodium chloride, a common table salt; it's the product of the sodium cation (Na⁺) and the chloride anion (Cl^-) bonding. Understanding how halogen ions are formed and their charges helps in predicting the outcomes of such ionic interactions.

Oxygen Family Ions

The oxygen family, also referred to as the chalcogens, includes elements such as oxygen (O), sulfur (S), and selenium (Se). Located in Group 16 (VIA) of the periodic table, these nonmetals tend to gain two electrons to fulfill their octet rule and reach a stable electronic configuration. When they gain these electrons, oxygen family elements form ions with a -2 charge. For example, oxygen (O) becomes oxide (O^2-), and sulfur (S) becomes sulfide (S^2-).

Their tendency to form -2 ions plays a significant role in various compounds. One typical compound is magnesium oxide, where a magnesium ion (Mg²⁺) combines with an oxide ion (O^2-). This charge consistency is crucial for the stability of ionic compounds, balancing out the charges so that the overall charge of a compound is neutral.

Nitrogen Ions

Nitrogen ions are a bit less common in straightforward ionic compounds due to the strong tendency of nitrogen to form covalent bonds instead. However, understanding nitrogen's ion formation is crucial in many biochemical and industrial processes. Nitrogen (N), found in Group 15 (VA), characteristically gains three electrons when it forms an ion, leading to a -3 charge. The nitrogen anion is simply termed nitride (N^3-).

This -3 charge reflects nitrogen's desire to fill its outer shell with eight electrons, following the octet rule. An example of a compound that involves nitrogen ions is lithium nitride (Li₃N), which is made of three lithium ions (Li⁺) and one nitride ion (N^3-), maintaining charge balance and stability within the solid.

Aluminum Ions

Aluminum ions showcase a different type of ionic charge due to their place in Group 13 (IIIA) of the periodic table. Unlike the nonmetals that gain electrons, aluminum, a metal, tends to lose its three outer electrons resulting in a cation with a +3 charge. This lets aluminum (Al) have a stable octet, becoming an aluminum ion (Al³⁺). This trivalent ion is commonly found in compounds such as aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), where two aluminum ions bond with three oxide ions (O^2-).

The +3 charge is an important feature in understanding aluminum's chemical behavior, especially its reactivity and how it forms compounds. For example, in aluminum chloride (AlCl₃), the metal ion aluminum (Al³⁺) pairs with three chloride ions (Cl^-) to achieve electrical neutrality in the compound.