what does this mean? (1 Viewer)

[bos1234]

The ite suffix indicates a lower valency of one of the non-metal atoms than the -ate ending

MgSO3 - Magnesium Sulfite

MgSO4 - Magnesium Sulfate

could someone explain the sentence using these examples?

 

[tennille]

According to this website, the reason why MgSO4 has the suffix -ate is because it has more oxygen than MgSO3. This is also the case for nitrite (NO2-) and nitrate (NO3-).

 

[Lucid Scintilla]

Many polatomic anions contain oxygen, and are reffered to as oxyanions.
When an element form can two different oxyanions, the name of the one that contains more oxygen ends in -ate; the one with less ends in -ite.

Some compounds can have multiple oxyanion forms:
ClO^- hypochlorite ion.
ClO₂^- chlorite ion.
ClO₃^- chlorate ion.
ClO₄^- perchlorate ion.

Understand, now?

 

[xiao1985]

lucid... once again you startle me with your extensive chemistry knowledge...

though i highly doubt it is required to know these at this stage, i must say... HClO₄ is a very nice sounding chemical...

 

[dion7789]

i agree lucid u know way too much lol..well least ur gonna do fine in hsc chem knowing this much this early

 

[yoakim]

The ite suffix indicates a lower valency of one of the non-metal atoms than the -ate ending

I don't think the -ite suffix indicates a lower valency, it just indicates that it has less oxygen atoms than -ates. The valency always remains the same for -ites and -ates of the same compound...

 

[xiao1985]

if by valency he implies oxidation state, then clearly there is a ramification to that as well...