Question

What is the formula for calcium acetate?

Answer 1

`C_4H_6CaO_4` or `Ca(CH_3COO)_2`

Explanation:

In here, calcium is the cation, and has a charge of `2+`, while the acetate anion contains a charge of `1-`, and so two acetate ions balance out one calcium ion.

And so, the formula would be

`Ca(OAc)_2`

Acetate ion has the chemical formula of `CH_3COO^-`.

And so, we get:

`Ca(CH_3COO)_2`

We can either keep it like this or simplify it.

If we want to simplify it, it becomes:

`Ca(C_2H_3O_2)_2`

`CaC_4H_6O_4`

And then, we can rewrite it into:

`C_4H_6CaO_4`