Question

You have a salt of the form where element X is a well-known, soft metal,

grayish, with a unique oxidation number of +2 and common in living bones. For
On the other hand, element Y has a mass percentage of 19.97% in said salt.
to. Using this information, determine the identities of elements X and Y.
b. Write the electron configurations of each element, indicating whether it is
paramagnetic or diamagnetic.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

Ca3N2

For certain, x is Calcium. It is the only element in bones that is a metal with an oxidation number of 2+

Nitrogen is a guess at this point, but we'll see what happens.

3Ca2+ = 3 * 40 = 120

2*N =2* 14 = 28

Total 148

% N = 28/148 * 100 = 18.9

As I said in the comments, there is a % missing and that is due to which periodic table you are using. All of them vary slightly. If you use the elements you get from your periodic table, the answer will turn out to be 19.97.

You will notice that my numbers are rounded, but are essentially correct. Any other guess for y will not give you a % of 19.97. Try it and see. For example if y = Cl

Then the chemical would be CaCl2

Ca = 40

Cl2= 71

Molar mass = 111.

y = 71 / 111 * 100 is 64% which is no where near 20%.

I don't know the answer to b, but I think that Nitrogen would be paramagnetic (it has 3 unpaired orbitals.) Calcium has two but I don't know how to classify it.