Asked by Nelle

When you have a choice of two or three ions, how do you determine which one to use in your cations/anions? Thanks!!
Answered by Chopsticks
What do you mean? Can you give me an example?

If their polyatomic, your going to just have to memorize the charges.
Answered by bobpursley
It depends on the reaction. If you are writing net ionic equations, you need to look for what is the product, and record the species of ions involved
Answered by DrBob222
Just a note to help in your writing. You should have written, "If <b>they are</b> <i>or you could write the contraction they're)</i> polyatomic, <b>you are</b><i>or you could have written the contraction you're)</i> going to just ......charges.
Answered by Chopsticks
Haha thanks. Everytime I'm on the internet, I always do that, espcially instant messaging.
Answered by DrBob222
It's a way of saving time with typing BUT it isn't a good habit to form. One time, long before I retired, I wrote a note to a colleague something like this, "If you wish I can order </b>to</b> of those for you <b>to</b>." He called to tell me to order two more and I looked at the note I had written. I'm sure I had to in my mind and I just wrote it both places instead of writing, "If you wish I can order two of those for you, too." Man, was I embarrassed. But it taught me to be a better proof reader. Through life we don't catch all those errors we make but we should make an effort to catch them, anyway. For IMing that sort of thing is ok. For texting it's generally ok. But for boards like this, ESPECIALLY where we have English teachers watching, we should write complete sentences in good English. I could use some help there, to/two/too. :)
Answered by Chopsticks
LOL! That was funny. Yeah, I usually don't tend make mistakes like that when I'm writing it out, but on the internet, anything goes for me. I'll try to correct myself in the futre.
Answered by Nelle
I mean like when you have an element, let's say iron, and you have the choice between choosing two and three as a charge.
Answered by Chopsticks
It depends what the direction they say.

If they say Iron (III) its iron 3.
So Fe^3 would be the correct way to write it.

Read the directions.

Answered by DrBob222
Fe forms two usual kinds of compounds, both iron(II) and iron(III). Unless you are balancing an oxidation-reduction equation, stay with the ion you started with. For example,
FeCl2 + 2AgNO3 ==> Fe(NO3)2 + 2AgCl
Note that I have iron(II) on left and right. But, if I have
FeCl3 + 3AgNO3 ==> Fe(NO3)3 + 3AgCl
Here I have iron(III) on left and right.
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