Carbon dioxide.
CO2
If carbon has +4 charge
and oxygen has -2 charge
(I hope they are)
they are BALANCED right?
then, why do you put prefixes in there?
2006-09-24 17:28:13 · 5 answers · asked by gogogo 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
It is just the art of simplification on the chemistry subject. I believe it is no more calling Carbon Dioxide when you having C4O2, perhaps others word can replace them.
The word Carbon Dioxide is having a meaningful word for chemist. If:
- No prefix in front, then will be 1.
- Di - then will be 2
- Tri - then will be 3
- Mono will be more to only 1 element involve.
and so on. Carbon Dioxide simply means C - O - O in the layman term, but chemist would always reaarange them to
O - C - O because is the oxygen bonding to the carbon... not Oxygen to Oxygen.
2006-09-24 17:58:01 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. Logic 3 · 0⤊ 6⤋
Because nothing is ever so simple. Carbon can also form the compound CO, which is called carbon monoxide.
Even more difficult are the compounds of Nitrogen and Oxygen:
N2O
NO
NO2
but also
N2O3
N2O4
Without prefixes, how would you know which "nitrogen oxide" you were talking about?
2006-09-24 17:36:58 · answer #2 · answered by Richard 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋
In CO2 , the number two indicates the number of oxygen atoms in the molecule. One molecule of carbon dioxide contains one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. i.e to neutralise the four positive charges of carbon, two oxygen atoms with two negative charges each is required.
2006-09-24 17:38:28 · answer #3 · answered by bindu k 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
In other situations it is not so obvious what the formula is. for example oxygen is usually O2 but sometimes forms in a ring as O3.
2006-09-24 17:32:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi. I agree with Bindu k.
2006-09-24 17:41:03 · answer #5 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋