Sodium chloride is NaClNaCl, and sodium sulfide is Na_2SNa2S. Why are there more sodium ions in the sulfide compound?

1 Answer
Jul 1, 2016

To give electric neutrality.

Explanation:

Sodium chloride is composed of Na^+Na+ ions and Cl^-Cl ions. Now of course salt is neutral; and to ensure this sodium ion and chloride ions combine 1:1.

On the other hand, sulfur commonly forms an S^(2-)S2 ion. (Sulfur is a "Group VI"Group VI atom, and its chemistry is similar to oxygen, which certainly forms the O^(2-)", oxide"O2, oxide ion.) Since sodium sulfide is a neutral salt, each sulfide ion requires 2xxNa^+2×Na+ ions. Capisce?

Why are there 33 sodium atoms in Na_3PNa3P?