What is the name of Ag So3
? silver sulfite silver(I) sulfate silver(I) sulfite disilver sulfate silver sulfate
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The chemical formula given is Ag₂SO₃.
Correct Answer:
Silver(I) sulfite
Explanation:
To name the compound Ag₂SO₃, we need to follow the rules for naming ionic compounds, particularly those involving transition metals and polyatomic ions.
1. Identify the cation (positive ion):
- Ag is the symbol for silver.
- Silver typically has a +1 oxidation state, even though it is technically a transition metal.
- Since there are 2 silver ions (Ag⁺) in the formula, the total positive charge is +2.
2. Identify the anion (negative ion):
- SO₃²⁻ is the sulfite ion, not sulfate.
- Sulfite has a 2− charge, which balances the 2× Ag⁺ from silver ions.
So, the compound is made from:
- 2 Ag⁺ ions and
- 1 SO₃²⁻ ion
This results in the neutral compound Ag₂SO₃.
3. Apply naming rules:
- Use the cation name first, including the Roman numeral if necessary.
- Since silver commonly forms only one ion (Ag⁺), we still include (I) in parentheses for clarity when multiple oxidation states are possible or required in the naming convention.
- The polyatomic ion SO₃²⁻ is named sulfite, not sulfate (SO₄²⁻).
So, putting it all together:
- Cation: Silver(I)
- Anion: Sulfite
✅ Final Name: Silver(I) sulfite
Common Mistake Alert:
- Confusing sulfate (SO₄²⁻) with sulfite (SO₃²⁻) is a frequent error.
- The presence of three oxygen atoms indicates sulfite, not sulfate.
This makes “Silver(I) sulfite” the only correct choice from the options.
