(a) The group 2 element radium Ra is used in medicine for the treatment of cancer. Radium was discovered in 1898 by Pierre and Marie Curie extracting radium chloride from its maine ore pitchblende. PREDICT the formula of radium chloride.
(b) Pierre and Marie Curie extracted radium from radium chloride by reduction. Explain what is meant by reduction using this reaction as an example
Please help me to answer these questions!! I would be sooo grateful
(b) Pierre and Marie Curie extracted radium from radium chloride by reduction. Explain what is meant by reduction using this reaction as an example
Please help me to answer these questions!! I would be sooo grateful
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Part (a):
Radium, atomic number 88 is a member of the alkaline earth metal family, or group 2. It has two valence electrons. Since it is also a metal, it would tend to lose those two electrons to become an ion with the charge of 2+. Since chloride ions have a charge of 1- each, it would take two chloride ions to every one radium ion to form a compound radium chloride whose empirical formula would be RaCl2.
Part (b):
When a radium ion is forced to take back the two electrons it lost when becoming an ion, its charge changes from "2+" to "0". Mathematically, its charge "decreases" or is "reduced". Consequently "reduction" in chemistry is defined as a "gain of electrons" by an atom.
Radium, atomic number 88 is a member of the alkaline earth metal family, or group 2. It has two valence electrons. Since it is also a metal, it would tend to lose those two electrons to become an ion with the charge of 2+. Since chloride ions have a charge of 1- each, it would take two chloride ions to every one radium ion to form a compound radium chloride whose empirical formula would be RaCl2.
Part (b):
When a radium ion is forced to take back the two electrons it lost when becoming an ion, its charge changes from "2+" to "0". Mathematically, its charge "decreases" or is "reduced". Consequently "reduction" in chemistry is defined as a "gain of electrons" by an atom.