Lithium is a metal with an oxidation number of 1 + and oxygen is a nonmetal with an oxidation number of 2-. Which chemical formula represents the compound formed by these two elements?

The answer is Li2O.

Lithium metal is isolated electrolytically from a mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride. The nucleus of the lithium atom verges on instability, since the two stable lithium isotopes found in nature have among the lowest binding energies per nucleon of all stable nuclides.

The chemical formula Li₂O represents the compound formed by these two elements.

Explanation:

An ionic bond is produced between metallic and non-metallic atoms, where electrons are completely transferred from one atom to another. During this process, one atom loses electrons and another one gains them, forming ions. Usually, the metal gives up its electrons forming a cation to the nonmetal element, which forms an anion. In this way, the octet rule is fulfilled, which establishes that the atoms of the elements bind each other in the attempt to complete their valence layer, leaving the atom stable with 8 electrons in its last layer.

In this case, lithium Li is a metal that has only one electron, which can be transferred to oxygen O through an ionic bond. But you must keep in mind that when joining atoms you must keep the molecule neutral. To maintain said neutrality, then the charges present in the combined atoms cross multiply with the atoms.

In this case, you know that the lithium oxidation number is + 1 and the oxygen oxidation number is - 2.

Then, as mentioned above, when both chemically combine with each other, the lithium atom will be multiplied by 2, while the oxygen atom will be multiplied by 1.

Then, the chemical formula Li₂O represents the compound formed by these two elements.