What charge does the barium ion possess in the compound #BaCl_2#?

2 Answers
Jul 2, 2016

The Barium ion in this molecule would have #+2# charge.

Explanation:

Barium is in the 6th energy level of the periodic table in the second column, with an electron configuration of #Ba = [Xe] 6s^2#

Barium would lose two electrons to follow the Rule of Octet and become #Ba^+2 = [Kr] 5s^2 4d^10 5p^6#

The Barium ion is #Ba^+2#
The Chloride ion is #Cl^-1#

It takes two #-1# Chloride ions to balance the one #+2# Barium ions to form the Barium Chloride molecule #BaCl_2#

Jul 2, 2016

#Ba# commonly forms a divalent ion, i.e. #Ba^(2+)#.

Explanation:

How do I know this? Well, for a start, barium is an alkaline earth metal, that commonly forms a #+II# ion. Even if I didn't know this, I should know that #Br#, a halogen, commonly forms a #-I# ion, and thus barium assumes a #+II# oxidation state in #BaX_2#. Look at their positions on the Periodic Table: #"Group II metal"# and #"Group VII non-metal"#.