An unknown compound has the following chemical formula: Mg_xCl_2

where x stands for a whole number.

Measurements also show that a certain sample of the unknown compound contains 6.80 mol of magnesium and 13.56 mol of chlorine.

Write the complete chemical formula for the unknown compound.

Given parameters:

number of moles magnesium = 6.80mol

number of moles of chlorine = 13.56mol

To find the complete chemical formula, we should obtain the formula of the compound.

Mg Cl

Number of

moles 6.8 13.56

Dividing

by the smallest 6.8/6.8 13.56/6.8

1 2

The formula of the compound is MgCl₂

This is an ionic compound in which Magnesium loses two electrons that would be gained by Cl atoms requiring just an electron each to complete their octet.