Final answer:
The correct chemical formula for magnesium sulfate is B) MgSO4, which matches one magnesium ion (Mg2+) with one sulfate ion (SO42-) to form a neutral compound.
Step-by-step explanation:
To select the appropriate chemical formula using the name of the ionic compound, we need to match the cation (positively charged ion) with the anion (negatively charged ion) and use their respective charges to determine the correct formula. For magnesium sulfate, where magnesium has a charge of +2 (Mg2+) and sulfate has a charge of -2 (SO42-), the correct formula would be one magnesium ion for every one sulfate ion to balance the charges.
Therefore, the correct answer is B) MgSO4 as this reflects the 1:1 ratio needed to balance the +2 charge of magnesium with the -2 charge of sulfate, resulting in a neutral compound.