What is the formula for aluminum nitrite?

1 Answer
Meave60
Apr 18, 2016

The formula for aluminum nitrite is #"Al(NO"_2)_3"#.

Explanation:

Aluminum nitrite consists of the aluminum cation #"Al"^(3+)"# and the polyatomic nitrite anion #"NO"_2^(-)"#. Since an ionic compound must be neutral, the number of each ion must result in an overall charge of zero.

Since the aluminum ion has a charge of 3+, and the nitrite ion has a charge of 1-, there need to be three nitrite ions for every aluminum ion. Therefore, the chemical formula for aluminum nitrite is #"Al(NO"_2)_3"#.

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