Which of the following is the best name for MgCl2
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The best name for MgCl2 is magnesium chloride.
Explanation:
Magnesium chloride is an ionic compound made up of magnesium (Mg) and chlorine (Cl) atoms. In naming ionic compounds, the general rule is to name the cation (positive ion) first, followed by the anion (negative ion).
- Magnesium (Mg): Magnesium is a metal from the alkaline earth metal group in the periodic table, and it commonly forms a +2 charge when it becomes an ion. So, the magnesium ion in MgCl2 is denoted as Mg²⁺.
- Chlorine (Cl): Chlorine is a halogen, and when it forms an ionic bond with magnesium, it becomes a chloride ion (Cl⁻). In ionic compounds, the name of the anion is usually modified by replacing the element’s ending with “-ide.” Therefore, chlorine becomes chloride (Cl⁻).
Putting it together, the cation is magnesium and the anion is chloride, so the name of the compound is magnesium chloride.
Additional Considerations:
- MgCl2 is a simple binary ionic compound, meaning it consists of only two elements.
- The naming system used here follows the standard IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) rules for ionic compounds.
- Magnesium chloride is a common salt that forms when magnesium metal reacts with chlorine gas, and it is used in various applications, including de-icing roads and in the production of magnesium metal.
Thus, the most straightforward and correct name for MgCl2 is magnesium chloride.
