Question

What is the correct formula for barium chlorate?

Answer 1

We need to know that the molecular formula specifies the numbers of atoms present in the molecule of a chemical substance. And the molecular formula is the same as that of the empirical formula. The molecular formula mainly contains the chemical symbols of the corresponding element and it has numeric subscripts to express the number of atoms present in a molecule. Therefore, the molecular formula will show the actual number of atoms present in a molecule.

Complete answer:
As we know, the molecular formula of barium chlorate is equal to $Ba{\left( {Cl{O_3}} \right)_2}$. The ions contained in barium chlorate is barium cation as well as the chlorate polyatomic anion. We need to know that the barium cation has the formula, $B{a^{2 + }}$ and the formula of chlorate polyatomic anion is$Cl{O_3}^ -$. The barium chlorate is an ionic compound having neutral charge. The charge of barium ions is $+ 2$ and the charge of $Cl{O_3}^ -$ is equal to $- 1$. There are two $Cl{O_3}^ -$ ions present in barium chlorate. Therefore, the charge of two $Cl{O_3}^ -$ ions becomes $- 2$. Now the net charge becomes neutral. Hence, the formula of barium chlorate is $Ba{\left( {Cl{O_3}} \right)_2}$.

Note:
We also know that the formula of barium chlorate is $Ba{\left( {Cl{O_3}} \right)_2}$. The barium is a chemical element having the symbol $'Ba'$ with atomic number $56$. We need to remember that the barium chlorate is an ionic salt having molar mass equal to $304.23g/mol$. And this is a crystalline solid. We must know that barium chlorate us a toxic compound and this is mainly used for production of chloric acid.