Question

Enter the formulas of the compounds formed by specified cations with the following anions:

The cation NH₄⁺ with each of the following anions: NO₃⁻ and HCO₃⁻

Answer 1

Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and ammonium hydrogen carbonate (NH4HCO3) are the respective compounds formed by combining the ammonium cation (NH4+) with the nitrate (NO3-) and hydrogen carbonate (HCO3-) anions in a one-to-one ratio.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is asking for the formulas of compounds formed by the combination of the ammonium cation (NH4+) with the nitrate (NO3−) and hydrogen carbonate (HCO3−) anions. When creating formulas for ionic compounds, the total positive charge must balance the total negative charge.

The combination of NH4+ with NO3− leads to the compound ammonium nitrate, which has the formula NH4NO3. Both ions have a charge magnitude of 1 (though opposite in sign), so only one of each is needed to balance the charges.

For the compound formed between NH4+ and HCO3−, the ammonium cation also pairs with the hydrogen carbonate anion in a one-to-one ratio, forming ammonium hydrogen carbonate with the formula NH4HCO3.