In an ionic solid MX consisting of the monatomic ions, M⁺and X⁻, the coordination number of M⁺is A)1. B)2. C)6. D)8. E)It is impossible to predict without knowing the crystal structure of MX.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The coordination number in an ionic solid depends on the crystal structure (e.g., face-centered cubic, body-centered cubic, hexagonal close-packed, etc.) and not just on the charges of the ions. Therefore, without knowing the specific crystal structure of the ionic solid MX, it is impossible to accurately predict the coordination number of M^+.

In an Ionic Solid MX Consisting of the Monatomic Ions