If a cubic unit cell of an ionic compound has A cations at the corners and the face centers and X anions in the centers of the edges, what is the empirical formula of the compound? A) AX B) A₄X₃ C) AX₂ D) A₂X₃ E) A₂X

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The empirical formula of the compound is A4X3. This is because there are 4 A cations at the corners and 6 A cations at the face centers, for a total of 10 A cations. There are 12 X anions in the centers of the edges. The ratio of A to X is 10:12, which simplifies to 5:6. The empirical formula is therefore A5X6, which can be reduced to A4X3.

If a Cubic Unit Cell of an Ionic Compound Has