I'm working on chemistry homework, and I just came across a few issues I don't understand. For one, why isn't Sodium Bromide NaBr2 (Online sources show it as NaBr)? Isn't Bromine a diatomic element?
Bromine is a diatomic element, Br2. But the bromide ion is not Bromine. Bromide is monoatomic, and has a charge of -1.
Okay. Sorry if this is bothersome, but...then what causes Beryllium ChlorIDE BeCl2? Doesn't chlorine have a charge of -1 as well?
Chlorine is an element, it has no charge.
Cloride is an ion, -1
Great question! Sodium bromide is an ionic compound formed by the combination of sodium ions (Na+) and bromide ions (Br-). In ionic compounds, the positive and negative charges must balance each other out, meaning the ratio of ions in the compound should result in a neutral charge.
Bromine is indeed a diatomic element, meaning it exists naturally as Br2, where two bromine atoms are bonded together. However, when bromine reacts with sodium, it loses one electron and forms a bromide ion (Br-). This is because bromine has a higher electronegativity than sodium and tends to gain electrons to form a stable configuration, while sodium has a tendency to lose an electron.
So, the formula for sodium bromide is actually NaBr, not NaBr2. The unit of NaBr represents one sodium ion and one bromide ion, which together balance the charges and result in a neutral compound.
To determine the correct formula of an ionic compound, it is important to consider the charges of the ions involved and ensure they cancel each other out. By following the rules of ionic bonding and knowing the valence charges, you can determine the correct formula for various compounds.