Question

How many of each type of atom are there in the formula Ca₃(PO₄)₂?

A) Ca = 3, P = 1, O = 4
B) Ca = 3, P = 2, O = 4
C) Ca = 3, P = 2, O = 8
D) Ca = 3, P = 1, O = 8
E) none of the above

Answer 1

In the formula Ca3(PO4)2, there are 3 calcium (Ca) atoms, 2 phosphorus (P) atoms, and 8 oxygen (O) atoms, making option C the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking for a breakdown of the number of atoms of each element in the compound Ca3(PO4)2.

When we look at the formula, we can see that each part of the compound contributes a certain number of atoms:

• 3 Ca atoms - because of the subscript '3' following Ca, indicating three calcium atoms.
• 2 P atoms - since there are two phosphate (PO4) groups and each phosphate group has one phosphorus atom.
• 8 O atoms - due to the '4' subscript on oxygen in PO4, and because we have two PO4 groups, the four oxygen atoms in each group total to eight oxygen atoms.

Thus, the formula Ca3(PO4)2 consists of:

• Ca = 3
• P = 2
• O = 8

The correct answer to the question is Ca = 3, P = 2, O = 8, which corresponds to option C.