Final answer:
The charge of each manganese ion in Mn3N2 is +2. This is determined by balancing the total charge of the compound, recognizing that the 2 nitrogen atoms have a combined charge of -6, which is balanced by +6 from the 3 Mn ions.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the charge of the manganese ion in Mn3N2, we need to consider the oxidation states of the elements involved. Nitrogen typically has an oxidation state of -3. In the compound Mn3N2, there are 2 nitrogen atoms contributing a total of -6 to the overall charge. To balance this and make the compound neutral, the 3 manganese ions collectively must have a total charge of +6.
Since there are three manganese ions, we divide the total charge of +6 by 3, which gives an oxidation state of +2 for each manganese ion. So, the charge of each manganese ion in Mn3N2 is +2.