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What is the charge of the manganese ion in Mn^(3+)N_(2)?

A) +2
B) +3
C) +4
D) +5

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The charge of the manganese ion in Mn(3+)N_2 is +3. Each Mn(3+) ion balances the -3 charge of each nitrogen atom, with two Mn(3+) ions needed for the two nitrogen atoms in the compound.

Step-by-step explanation:

The charge of the manganese ion in Mn(3+)N2 can be determined by looking at the compound's chemical formula and understanding the oxidation states of the elements involved. The compound is composed of Mn(3+) and N2. Because the compound is electrically neutral, the oxidation states must sum up to zero. As the nitrogen in N2 has an oxidation state of -3 (because nitrogen typically forms three bonds), and there are two nitrogen atoms for a combined charge of -6, the manganese ion must have a charge that balances this out. Thus, for each MnN2 formula unit, you would need two Mn(3+) ions to balance the charge of the two N(3-) ions, resulting in a total positive charge of +6 (2 x +3) from the manganese ions. However, the question refers to a single manganese ion, which would imply that the charge on the manganese ion in this compound is +3

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