Mateo observes a white crystal that is cube-shaped under a microscope. Based on this observation, Mateo thinks the crystal could be sodium chloride (table salt). Because the crystal has an extended structure, he knows that sodium chloride is not a molecule. Mateo uses gray and black spheres, representing the atoms in sodium chloride (NaCl), to make a model of the crystal's most likely structure, as shown, Select all of the reasons why the model accurately represents sodium chloride. A. the model can be extended to show larger amounts of sodium chloride. B. Mateo used gray to represent the sodium atoms and black to represent the oxygen atoms. C. Mateo's model shows a repeating pattern of sodium and chlorine atoms. D. Sodium chloride is composted of four kinds of atoms.

Question

Mateo observes a white crystal that is cube-shaped under a microscope.  Based on this observation, Mateo thinks the crystal could be sodium chloride (table salt).  Because the crystal has an extended structure, he knows that sodium chloride is not a molecule.  Mateo uses gray and black spheres, representing the atoms in sodium chloride (NaCl), to make a model of the crystal's most likely structure, as shown,  Select all of the reasons why the model accurately represents sodium chloride.  A. the model can be extended to show larger amounts of sodium chloride.  B. Mateo used gray to represent the sodium atoms and black to represent the oxygen atoms.  C. Mateo's model shows a repeating pattern of sodium and chlorine atoms.  D. Sodium chloride is composted of four kinds of atoms.

GPT-4o mini · Answer

To determine which reasons accurately represent sodium chloride (NaCl), let's evaluate each option:

A. The model can be extended to show larger amounts of sodium chloride.

This statement is true. Sodium chloride has a crystalline structure that can be extended infinitely in a regular pattern, meaning that the model can represent larger amounts of the crystal.

B. Mateo used gray to represent the sodium atoms and black to represent the oxygen atoms.

This statement is misleading. Sodium chloride (NaCl) consists of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) atoms, not oxygen. Therefore, the use of colors to represent the atoms is incorrect if gray is used for sodium and black for oxygen.

C. Mateo's model shows a repeating pattern of sodium and chlorine atoms.

This statement is true. Sodium chloride has a cubic crystal lattice where sodium and chlorine ions alternate in a repeating three-dimensional pattern.

D. Sodium chloride is composed of four kinds of atoms.

This statement is false. Sodium chloride is composed of two types of atoms: sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). It does not contain four kinds of atoms.

Based on this analysis, the correct answers that accurately represent sodium chloride are:

A. the model can be extended to show larger amounts of sodium chloride.
C. Mateo's model shows a repeating pattern of sodium and chlorine atoms.