Characterize EACH of the three given statements as being TRUE or FALSE and then indicate the collective true-false status of the statements using the choices: (1) The ions O²^- and S²^- are isoelectronic.
(2) The symbol for an atom of X that has lost two electrons is X²^-.
(3) In all ionic compounds the total charge of the ions present per formula unit must add up to zero.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

(1) FALSE - The two ions have different numbers of electrons, so they are not isoelectronic.
(2) FALSE - The symbol for an atom that has lost two electrons would have a 2+ charge, and the symbol should reflect that. The correct symbol would be X2+.
(3) TRUE - In an ionic compound, the total charge of the positive ions (cations) must equal the total charge of the negative ions (anions), thus the net charge per formula unit is zero. 
Therefore, only statement 3 is true, making the answer choice C.

Characterize EACH of the Three Given Statements as Being TRUE