Question

What is the systematic name of `Mg(NO_3)_2`?

Answer 1

The name of this ionic compound is magnesium nitrate.

Explanation:

Magnesium is a group 2 alkaline earth metal, which forms a `2+` cation, `"Mg"^(2+)"`. Nitrate is a polyatomic anion which has a charge of `1-`. Its formula is `"NO"_3"^(-)`.

Ionic compounds are named for the cation and anion present in the compound. Since `"Mg(NO"_3)_2"` contains the cation magnesium and anion nitrate, its name is magnesium nitrate.

When naming an ionic compound with a polyatomic ionic, we don't use Greek prefixes to indicate the number of polyatomic ions. This is why the name of `"Mg(NO"_3)_2"` is magnesium nitrate, and NOT magnesium dinitrate.