How come the formula for potassium peroxide is K2O2; I can't see how you'd get that...

K2O is potassium oxide. Per means one more oxygen, so

K2O2 is potassium peroxide.
Look at H2O2 for hydrogen peroxide.
H2O2 is a dimer(the empirical formula is HO) as is K2O2(the empirical formula is KO). By the way, oxygen has an oxidation state of -2 in most compounds but in peroxides it is -1.

The formula for potassium peroxide (K2O2) can be understood by following these steps:

Step 1: Determine the charge of the potassium ion (K). Potassium is an alkali metal, so it has a charge of +1 (K+).

Step 2: Determine the charge of the oxide ion (O2-). Oxygen typically has a charge of -2 when it forms an oxide.

Step 3: Balance the charges of the potassium and oxide ions. Since the potassium ion has a charge of +1 and the oxide ion has a charge of -2, we need two potassium ions to balance out the charge on one oxide ion.

Step 4: Write the formula for potassium peroxide. The formula is based on combining two potassium ions (K+) with one peroxide ion (O2-), resulting in K2O2.

Therefore, the formula for potassium peroxide is K2O2 because it balances the charges of the potassium and peroxide ions.

The formula for potassium peroxide, K2O2, can be determined by considering the charges of the ions involved. In this case, potassium (K) is known to have a charge of +1, while oxygen (O) has a charge of -2.

To find the formula, we need to ensure that the charges balance out. Since potassium has a charge of +1, we would need two potassium ions to balance the charge of the peroxide ion.

The peroxide ion, O2²-, consists of two oxygen atoms with a cumulative charge of -2. Therefore, it requires two potassium ions (each with a charge of +1) to balance the charge. Thus, the formula becomes K2O2.

To determine the formula of a compound, it is important to know the charges of the ions involved. This information can be obtained from the Periodic Table, which provides the relative atomic masses and valence electron configuration of each element.