With the knowledge that cesium floride's formula is CsF, wouldn't its cation be Cs+ and its anion F-? If not, tell me the correct cation and anion and why.
Anion vs. Cation. Ions result from atoms or molecules that have gained or lost one or more valence electrons, giving them a positive or negative charge. Those with a negative charge are called anions and those with a positive charge are called cations.
I looked on another website, and it told me that Cesium flouride's cation is Cs+ and its anion is F-, so I'm pretty confident that I'm right.
Thank you for the help, Bob. I appreciate it.
Yes, you are correct. Cesium fluoride's formula is indeed CsF, indicating that it consists of a cesium cation (Cs+) and a fluoride anion (F-).
To determine the cation and anion in a compound like cesium fluoride, we use the rules of ionic compound formation and the charges of the atoms. Cesium (Cs) is a metal from Group 1 of the periodic table, and it tends to lose one electron to achieve a stable configuration similar to a noble gas. When an atom loses an electron, it becomes positively charged, hence Cs+.
Fluoride (F) is a non-metal from Group 17 of the periodic table. Non-metals typically gain electrons to achieve a noble gas electron configuration. Fluorine readily accepts an electron to complete its valence shell, resulting in a negative charge, hence F-.
Therefore, in cesium fluoride (CsF), cesium loses one electron (Cs+) and fluorine gains one electron (F-) to form an ionic compound held together by electrostatic forces between the oppositely charged ions.