Is nickel 2 chloride an anion or cation ??
Is sodium chloride an anion or cation ?
To determine whether a chemical species is an anion or cation, we need to understand the concept of ions.
Ions are electrically charged particles formed when atoms gain or lose electrons. Anion refers to a negatively charged ion, which means it has gained one or more electrons. On the other hand, cation refers to a positively charged ion, indicating that it has lost one or more electrons.
Now, let's apply this knowledge to the given compounds:
1. Nickel 2 chloride: To determine if it is an anion or cation, we need to know the charge of nickel (Ni) in this compound. The roman numeral "2" represents the oxidation state or charge of the element. In the case of nickel, the commonly observed charges are +2 and +3. Therefore, when combined with chloride (Cl), which has a charge of -1, the compound Nickel 2 chloride becomes NiCl2. From this formula, we can see that the nickel ion has a +2 charge, making it a cation.
2. Sodium chloride: Sodium chloride (NaCl) is a common salt. In this compound, sodium (Na) donates one electron to chlorine (Cl), resulting in the formation of a sodium ion (Na+) and a chloride ion (Cl-). Here, sodium loses one electron and becomes a cation with a charge of +1, while chlorine gains one electron and becomes an anion with a charge of -1. Therefore, in sodium chloride, Na+ is a cation, and Cl- is an anion.
In summary, nickel 2 chloride contains a cation (Ni2+) and sodium chloride contains both a cation (Na+) and an anion (Cl-).