The name of MgN2 Magnesium nitride Magnesium nitrite Magnesium nitric oxide Magnesium nitrate
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
ChatGPT said:
The correct name for MgN₂ is magnesium nitride.
✅ Correct Answer: Magnesium nitride
❌ Incorrect Options:
- Magnesium nitrite – This would be Mg(NO₂)₂.
- Magnesium nitric oxide – Not a standard compound name; possibly referring to a mixture but not a valid IUPAC compound.
- Magnesium nitrate – This is Mg(NO₃)₂.
🧪 Explanation
MgN₂ is an ionic compound composed of the metal magnesium (Mg) and the nonmetal nitrogen (N). The name follows standard IUPAC naming rules for binary ionic compounds, where the metal is named first, followed by the nonmetal with its ending changed to “-ide.”
Let’s break it down:
- Magnesium (Mg) is a Group 2 element and forms a +2 cation (Mg²⁺).
- Nitrogen (N), a Group 15 element, tends to gain 3 electrons to form the nitride anion (N³⁻).
To form a neutral compound, the charges must balance. This occurs in MgN₂, where:
- 1 magnesium ion = +2 charge
- 2 nitride ions = 2 × (–3) = –6 charge
- To balance: 3 magnesium ions (+6) are needed for 2 nitrogen ions (–6), giving the formula: Mg₃N₂
However, if the formula is MgN₂ (as stated in your question), this implies 1 magnesium ion and 2 nitride ions, which doesn’t result in a neutral compound:
- 1 × (+2) = +2
- 2 × (–3) = –6
- Total = –4 → Not neutral
Therefore, MgN₂ is not the correct formula for magnesium nitride — the correct empirical formula is Mg₃N₂. But if you’re given MgN₂ hypothetically, the correct name based on its components would still be magnesium nitride, assuming it’s intended to represent a compound between Mg and N.
Thus, magnesium nitride is the correct name for a compound consisting of magnesium and nitrogen. Be careful with chemical formulas — correct naming requires the charges and ratios to balance properly.
