What is the charge on iron in the ionic compound FeCl₃? A) +3 B) +1 C) 0 D) (-1) E) (-3)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The compound FeCl₃ contains iron (Fe) and two different nonmetals, chlorine (Cl) and sulfur (S). Chlorine has a charge of -1 in most compounds, while sulfur can have a charge of -2 or -1. Since the compound as a whole must be neutral, we can determine the charge on iron by adding up the charges on the other ions and setting the sum equal to zero. Fe+Cl+S=0, so Fe must have a charge of +2 to balance the -1 charges on each Cl and the -1 charge on S. However, the question is asking for the charge on iron in the context of the given compound, which is FeCl₃, not just Fe alone. Since there are no subscripts or parentheses indicating otherwise, we assume that the charge applies to the entire compound, so the answer is +3.

What Is the Charge on Iron in the Ionic Compound