I’m frankly clueless what it means and google, my savior, has been no help. To give a bit more context I’m making a write up on the element Cadmium and I’m supposed to say what it’s ionic states are.
Thanks
In: Chemistry
Google’s probably not helping because I don’t think “ionic state” is the right word. I think whoever is asking this of you actually means “oxidization state”. This means how many electrons an atom gives away or steals in an (idealized) ionic chemical bond. Ionic bond being between metal and nonmetal where electrons are transferred, rather than shared.
Rust for example is usually iron III oxide. This means Fe2O3. III, or three, is the oxidization state of iron. Each iron atom is giving away 3 electrons. Oxygen is -2, because each oxygen is gaining 2 electrons that it took from iron. Two irons giving up three electrons, and three oxygen taking two electrons obviously adds up. There’s six electrons being transferred. Fe3O2 clearly would not add up.
Metals usually have positive states as they give away electrons. Electrons are negatively charged, hence why the state is positive. Nonmetal usually negative state, as they gain electrons. Though of course there are exceptions, and elements can have multiple states, some rare, and can steal or give depending on the situation.
Cadmium is +2 usually. It gives away two electrons.
Atoms can form ions. The ions it forms readily depends a long on various things; including the valence band and electron orbitals. Different elements have commonly formed “stable” ions. Cadmium in particular likes to give up 2 electrons because giving up those electrons make it a happy little ion. So Cd+2 is common.
I believe that the ionic state of Cadmium refers to the most likely ion(s) that Cadmium will form. You can find these numbers by looking at the number of electrons in the valence (outer) shell. The ion is either looking to give away it’s electrons (giving it a positive charge) or take other atoms electrons (giving it a negative charge) to form an octet or 8 electrons in it’s outer shell. Cadmium has 2 electrons in it’s outer shell that it would be willing to give up, forming an Ionic state of 2+
Wait I minute, I learnt about this in Chem 2 weeks ago. It’s uhhh… uhhhh. Ummm it’s a I think different amount of ions which change the charge of the element give it different states
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