Question

Define the subscript for ammonium in the chemical formula for ammonium dichromate

Answer 1

The subscript for ammonium in the chemical formula for ammonium dichromate is (NH₄)₂Cr₂O₇.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the chemical formula for ammonium dichromate, (NH₄)₂Cr₂O₇, the subscript "2" outside the parentheses indicates that the entire ammonium ion, NH₄, is present twice in the compound. The ammonium ion is composed of one nitrogen atom (N) and four hydrogen atoms (H). Therefore, to represent two ammonium ions, the formula is written as (NH₄)₂.

The dichromate ion, Cr₂O₇, contains two chromium atoms (Cr) and seven oxygen atoms (O). The subscript "2" in Cr₂O₇ indicates that there are two chromium atoms in the ion. The entire compound is neutral, so the sum of the positive and negative charges must balance. The ammonium ion has a positive charge of +1, and the dichromate ion has a charge of -2. Since two ammonium ions are needed to balance the charge of one dichromate ion, the chemical formula becomes (NH₄)₂Cr₂O₇.

In summary, the subscript "2" outside the parentheses represents the presence of two ammonium ions in the chemical formula for ammonium dichromate, and this is necessary to achieve a neutral compound by balancing the charges of the ammonium and dichromate ions.

Answer 2

The subscript for ammonium in the chemical formula for ammonium dichromate is (NH₄)₂Cr₂O₇.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the chemical formula (NH₄)₂Cr₂O₇, the subscript "2" outside the parentheses indicates that the entire ammonium ion, NH₄, is present twice in the compound. Each NH₄ ion carries a charge of +1. The subscript "2" within the parentheses indicates that there are two ammonium ions. This gives a total positive charge of +2 from the ammonium ions.

The dichromate ion, Cr₂O₇, has a charge of -2 to balance the positive charge from ammonium. The subscript "2" outside the parentheses for Cr₂O₇ indicates that there are two dichromate ions present. The combination of two NH₄ ions with two dichromate ions results in a neutral compound, ammonium dichromate [(NH₄)₂Cr₂O₇], where the positive and negative charges balance each other.

Therefore, the subscript for ammonium is crucial in determining the overall charge neutrality of the compound and ensuring that the correct stoichiometry is maintained in the chemical formula.