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Magnesium flares provide a bright light in an emergency - Edexcel - GCSE Chemistry - Question 6 - 2012 - Paper 1
Question 6
Magnesium flares provide a bright light in an emergency. When the magnesium burns it reacts with oxygen to form magnesium oxide. (a) Explain why magnesium oxide is... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Magnesium flares provide a bright light in an emergency - Edexcel - GCSE Chemistry - Question 6 - 2012 - Paper 1
Step 1
Explain why magnesium oxide is a compound.
Answer
Magnesium oxide is classified as a compound because it consists of two different elements, magnesium and oxygen, that are chemically bonded together. In a compound, the elements are joined in fixed proportions and exhibit distinct chemical properties that differ from the individual elements. In this case, when magnesium and oxygen react, they form a new substance, magnesium oxide, rather than retaining their individual characteristics.
Step 2
Draw the arrangement of electrons in the oxide ion.
Answer
The oxide ion is formed when an oxygen atom gains two electrons, resulting in a charge of 2-. Its electron arrangement can be represented as follows:
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This diagram shows that the oxide ion has filled its outer shell with eight electrons, leading to a stable electronic configuration.