Final answer:
In the chemical formula 2H2(PO4)2, there are 4 hydrogen atoms, 2 phosphorus atoms, and 8 oxygen atoms. Polyatomic ions such as phosphate (PO4)2- should be treated as single units for ease of calculation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has inquired about the composition of a chemical compound, specifically 2H2(PO4)2. To determine how much of each element is present in this compound, we must first understand its formula. It is understood from the formula that the compound is composed of hydrogen (H), phosphorus (P), and oxygen (O).
By examining the chemical formula, we see that there are two groups of (H2) and two phosphate ions (PO4)2-. For each (PO4)2- group, there is one phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms. This means in the whole compound, there are:
- 4 hydrogen atoms (from 2H2)
- 2 phosphorus atoms (from 2(PO4)2-)
- 8 oxygen atoms (from 2(PO4)2-)
When students encounter such questions, they should remember to balance chemical equations and to consider polyatomic ions, like phosphate in this case, as a single unit to ease the calculation process.