What is magnesium oxide?
a. Polyatomic ion
b. Ionic compound containing polyatomic ion
c. Monatomic ion
d. Oxyanion
Is the answer d?
The right answer is not listed.
What is it,then?
The answer to the question "What is magnesium oxide?" is b. Ionic compound containing polyatomic ion.
To arrive at this answer, it is helpful to understand the properties and naming conventions of chemical compounds. Magnesium oxide is composed of two elements, magnesium (Mg) and oxygen (O), and it is formed through the ionic bonding between a magnesium cation (Mg2+) and an oxide anion (O2-).
To determine the correct answer, we can go through each option:
a. Polyatomic ion: A polyatomic ion is a charged chemical species composed of two or more atoms covalently bonded together. Magnesium oxide is not a polyatomic ion because it consists of separate magnesium and oxide ions.
b. Ionic compound containing polyatomic ion: This option is the correct answer. Magnesium oxide is an ionic compound because it results from the transfer of electrons between magnesium and oxygen atoms. It contains the oxide polyatomic ion (O2-) along with the magnesium (Mg2+) cation.
c. Monatomic ion: A monatomic ion is a charged particle consisting of only one atom. Magnesium and oxygen form ions (Mg2+ and O2-) in magnesium oxide. Therefore, it is not considered a monatomic ion.
d. Oxyanion: Oxyanions are polyatomic ions that contain oxygen and one or more other elements. Examples include nitrate (NO3-) and sulfate (SO42-). While magnesium oxide has an oxygen atom, it does not meet the criteria to be classified as an oxyanion.
In conclusion, the correct answer is b. Ionic compound containing polyatomic ion, as magnesium oxide is an ionic compound composed of the magnesium cation and the oxide polyatomic ion.