Activity 1. Subscripts, what is their relationship to the element?
| Step 1. Select the cation: copper (II) and anion:
oxygen. Step 2. Add three cations by clicking on the 'ADD Cation' button three times. Subtract two cations by clicking on the 'Subtract Cation' button two times. Observe how the subscript changes following each addition or subtraction of a cation. Step 3. Now repeat Step 2 using the oxygen anion. You should be looking at a compound that reads: CuO |
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{note: by convention, the subscript "1" is not written}.
Step 4. Now select the anion Carbonate.
{Note: This anion is polyatomic and has a subscipt
associated with its common ion or formula already. Parentheses are placed around
this formula in circumstances when there is more than one of these ions}.
Add a few carbonate ions and pay particular attention to which subscipt is changing; is it
the one inside the parenthesis or outside?
Step 5. Experiment with other combinations of monotomic and polyatomic cations and anions.