Question

Which of the following compounds, when dissolved, will produce the most ions?

A) NaCl
B) Fe(NO3)3
C) Na2O
D) BaCl2

Answer 1

Fe(NO3)3 will produce the most ions when dissolved in water, dissociating into one Fe3+ ion and three NO3- ions, resulting in a total of four ions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The compound that will produce the most ions when dissolved is Fe(NO3)3 (Iron(III) nitrate). When dissolved in water, Fe(NO3)3 dissociates into one Fe3+ ion and three NO3− ions, therefore producing a total of four ions.

The net ionic equation for the dissolution of Fe(NO3)3 in water is:

Fe(NO3)3 (s) → Fe3+ (aq) + 3 NO3− (aq)

Comparing this to the other compounds given in the options:

• NaCl → Na+ + Cl− (2 ions total)
• Na2O → 2 Na+ + O2− (3 ions total)
• BaCl2 → Ba2+ + 2 Cl− (3 ions total)

Therefore, Fe(NO3)3 produces the most ions upon dissolution.