Final answer:
The empirical formula for the ionic compound between ceba and cecl ions depends on the charges of these ions. The formula would involve finding the lowest whole-number ratio that balances the total positive and negative charges of the ions involved.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is inquiring about the empirical formula of the ionic compound that would form between two ions, labeled as [ceba] and [cecl]. To determine the most likely empirical formula of the ionic compound, one has to know the charges of the cat ion and anion to balance them and obtain the lowest whole-number ratio. For example, in the formation of sodium oxalate, the ions Na+ and C2O42- combine in a 2:1 ratio, even though the formula Na2C2O4 is not empirical (which would be NaCO2), it does represent the proper stoichiometry of the ions. Similarly, for an ionic compound such as calcium bromide (CaBr2), the empirical formula is determined by the charges of calcium (Ca2+) and bromide (Br-) ions.
One must also remember to list the cation first, followed by the anion when writing the formula. Since the question did not provide specific charges for the ions in question, a general approach would be to find the charges on ceba and cecl, and write their lowest ratio as the formula of the compound.