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Home Q & A Board Science-Related Homework Help Chemistry (Moderator: Laser_3)
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SMOKEY2112 SMOKEY2112
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11 years ago
Sulfate has a compound of SO4 with a  -2 charge. When sulfur and oxygen combine with each other the charge is  -2 (negative 2). How did it get a charge of -2? How do you figure this out mathematically?
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#1
11 years ago
Sadly, like many subjects in chemistry, this is determined by laboratory experiment. You will learn as you advance in chemistry that some atoms do not always have the same charge (also known as oxidation number) the only way for you and I to know the charge of a polyatomic Ion without a fully furnished laboratory is to memorize it.
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