Question

Question #024dd

Answer 1

`"Magnesium oxide"-=MgO`........

Explanation:

As the oxide, `O^(2-)`, oxygen has a oxidation state of `-II`; magnesium ion, as `Mg^(2+)` has an oxidation state of `II+`. (The oxidation states of the free elements are `0`.)

And thus magnesium ions and oxide ions form a `"neutral salt"` whose formula is `MgO`, i.e. `Mg^(2+)O^(2-)`

Here is a short video of a demonstration of the reaction of magnesium and oxygen which forms MgO.

........What about aluminum oxide, where the metal forms an `Al^(3+)` ion?