Inorganic chemistry
⏱ ~3-min readAceMark Guide
What this topic is really about
In the rock salt (NaCl) crystal lattice, each sodium ion is octahedrally surrounded by six chloride ions, giving it a coordination number of 6. A coordination number of 8 is incorrect because that arrangement is found in body-centered cubic structures like cesium chloride.
Zinc has the most negative standard reduction potential among the options, meaning it oxidizes most readily and acts as the strongest reducing agent. In contrast, gold has a high positive reduction potential, making it highly unreactive and a very poor reducing agent.
See the mechanism
In the rock salt (NaCl) crystal lattice, each sodium ion is octahedrally surrounded by six chloride ions, giving it a coordination number of 6. A diagram for this topic isn't available yet — the worked example below walks the same reasoning step by step.
An exam-style question, fully explained
Coordination number of Na⁺ in NaCl crystal:
- Identify what the question tests: Coordination number of Na⁺ in NaCl crystal:.
- In the rock salt (NaCl) crystal lattice, each sodium ion is octahedrally surrounded by six chloride ions, giving it a coordination number of 6.
- A coordination number of 8 is incorrect because that arrangement is found in body-centered cubic structures like cesium chloride.
Traps the examiner sets
- A coordination number of 8 is incorrect because that arrangement is found in body-centered cubic structures like cesium chloride.
- Distractor A is incorrect because 24 is the atomic number of chromium, which precedes iron in the 3d transition series.
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