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In Chemistry / High School | 2025-07-06

Fill in the name and empirical formula of each ionic compound that could be formed from the ions in this table:

| cation | anion | empirical formula | name of compound |
|---|---|---|---|
| $NH _4$ | $SO _4^{2-}$ | $\square$ | $\square$ |
| $K ^{+}$ | $ClO ^{-}$ | $\square$ | $\square$ |
| $K ^{+}$ | $ClO _4^{-}$ | $\square$ | $\square$

Asked by emmily0323

Answer (2)

Determine the empirical formula for ammonium and sulfate ions: ( N H 4 ​ ) 2 ​ S O 4 ​ .
Determine the empirical formula for potassium and hypochlorite ions: K ClO .
Determine the empirical formula for potassium and perchlorate ions: K Cl O 4 ​ .
The names of the compounds are ammonium sulfate, potassium hypochlorite, and potassium perchlorate, respectively. The empirical formulas are ( N H 4 ​ ) 2 ​ S O 4 ​ ​ , K ClO ​ , and K Cl O 4 ​ ​ .

Explanation

Problem Analysis Let's analyze the formation of ionic compounds from the given cations and anions. We need to balance the charges to determine the empirical formulas and then name the compounds according to standard nomenclature rules.

Ammonium Sulfate For the ammonium ion ( N H 4 + ​ ) and the sulfate ion ( S O 4 2 − ​ ), we need two ammonium ions to balance the -2 charge of the sulfate ion. This gives us the empirical formula ( N H 4 ​ ) 2 ​ S O 4 ​ . The name of this compound is ammonium sulfate.

Potassium Hypochlorite For the potassium ion ( K + ) and the hypochlorite ion ( Cl O − ), the charges are +1 and -1, respectively. Therefore, they combine in a 1:1 ratio, resulting in the empirical formula K ClO . The name of this compound is potassium hypochlorite.

Potassium Perchlorate For the potassium ion ( K + ) and the perchlorate ion ( Cl O 4 − ​ ), the charges are +1 and -1, respectively. They also combine in a 1:1 ratio, giving the empirical formula K Cl O 4 ​ . The name of this compound is potassium perchlorate.

Final Answer In summary, the completed table is:





cation
anion
empirical formula
name of compound



N H 4 + ​
S O 4 2 − ​
( N H 4 ​ ) 2 ​ S O 4 ​
ammonium sulfate


K +
Cl O −
K ClO
potassium hypochlorite


K +
Cl O 4 − ​
K Cl O 4 ​
potassium perchlorate


Examples
Ionic compounds are all around us! For example, sodium chloride (NaCl), or table salt, is an ionic compound that we use every day to season our food. Similarly, calcium carbonate ( C a C O 3 ​ ) is a common ionic compound found in limestone and is used in various applications, from building materials to antacids. Understanding how these compounds form helps us predict their properties and uses in everyday life.

Answered by GinnyAnswer | 2025-07-06

The empirical formulas and names of the ionic compounds are: ammonium sulfate for ( N H 4 ​ ) 2 ​ S O 4 ​ , potassium hypochlorite for K ClO , and potassium perchlorate for K Cl O 4 ​ . Each compound is formed by balancing the charges of the respective cations and anions. This process helps ensure the resulting compound is electrically neutral.
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Answered by Anonymous | 2025-07-07