Question

Sodium fluoride reacts with hydroxyapatite to give fluorapatite according to the chemical reaction:

2NaF + Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 → Ca10(PO4)6F2 + 2NaOH
i. Name each ion in fluorapatite.
ii. Indicate the charge on each ion in fluorapatite.
iii. Show that the molecular formula for fluorapatite represents a neutral compound

Answer 1

we are given the balanced equation 2NaF + Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 → Ca10(PO4)6F2 + 2NaOH. The fluorapatite is the product together with sodium hydroxide. The ions involved are (PO4) 3-, Ca 2+ and F-. We add the charges and check if the sum is zero, 2*10+-3*6+-1*2 =0. the zero sum tells that the compound has zero charge or neutral