Discover a wealth of information and get your questions answered on IDNLearn.com. Get the information you need from our community of experts who provide accurate and thorough answers to all your questions.

Identify the correct formula for the compound ammonium chloride:

A. [tex]NH_4Cl^+[/tex]
B. [tex]NH_4Cl[/tex]
C. [tex]NH_3Cl[/tex]
D. [tex]NH_4Cl_2[/tex]


Sagot :

Let's determine the correct chemical formula for ammonium chloride among the given options.

1. Option 1: [tex]\( NH_4Cl^+ \)[/tex]
- The formula [tex]\( NH_4Cl^+ \)[/tex] is not correct because it suggests that the molecule has an additional positive charge. Ammonium chloride is a neutral compound, not a charged ion. This option is incorrect.

2. Option 2: [tex]\( NH_4Cl \)[/tex]
- The formula [tex]\( NH_4Cl \)[/tex] is composed of the ammonium ion [tex]\( NH_4^+ \)[/tex] and the chloride ion [tex]\( Cl^- \)[/tex]. When these ions combine in a 1:1 ratio, they form the neutral compound ammonium chloride. This option is correct.

3. Option 3: [tex]\( NH_3Cl \)[/tex]
- The formula [tex]\( NH_3Cl \)[/tex] does not correctly represent the composition of ammonium chloride. Ammonium chloride contains the ammonium ion [tex]\( NH_4^+ \)[/tex], not [tex]\( NH_3 \)[/tex]. This option is incorrect.

4. Option 4: [tex]\( NH_4Cl_2 \)[/tex]
- The formula [tex]\( NH_4Cl_2 \)[/tex] suggests that there are two chloride ions for each ammonium ion. This is not correct because ammonium chloride consists of one ammonium ion [tex]\( NH_4^+ \)[/tex] and one chloride ion [tex]\( Cl^- \)[/tex]. This option is incorrect.

Thus, the correct chemical formula for ammonium chloride is:

[tex]\[ \boxed{NH_4Cl} \][/tex]