Video Transcript
Which ions are present in the ionic
compound NH4Cl? (A) NH42+ and Cl−; (B) H+ and Cl−;
(C) N3−, H+, and Cl−; (D) NH4+ and Cl−; or (E) NH3, H+, and Cl−.
In this question, we need to
identify the ions within NH4Cl. Within this compound, we have atoms
of nitrogen, hydrogen, and chlorine, which correspond to the chemical symbols N, H,
and Cl, respectively.
When ions within a compound
dissociate, all the atoms are still present within the ions. Therefore, since NH4Cl has N, H,
and Cl atoms in the compound, the ions must have the same atoms of N, H, and Cl all
present as well. So, answer choice (B), H+ and Cl−,
is an incorrect answer choice, since the nitrogen atom is not present.
Since answer choices (A), (C), (D),
and (E) all have H, N, and Cl atoms, let us determine which of these answer choices
are correct. When looking at the compound of
NH4Cl, it has a net charge of zero, which will assist us in identifying the charges
of the ions. The chloride ion, Cl−, is a halogen
that has a charge of one minus. When looking at the atoms of N and
H, they form NH4+, which is a polyatomic ion known as the ammonium ion and has a
charge of one plus in order to create a neutral compound.
The only answer choice that matches
the information shown is answer choice (D). Therefore, which ions are present
in the ionic compound NH4Cl? The correct answer choice is (D),
NH4+ and Cl−.
