Giselle is pairing ions to create stable binary ionic compounds. She knows that the sum of charges of the two ions must be zero in order for the compound to be stable. Which ion could be paired with a potassium ion, K+, to form a stable binary compound?

Question

A
beryllium, Be2+

B
fluorine, F−

C
lithium, Li+

D
oxygen, O2−

Answer 1

The correct answer is C) lithium, Li+. When pairing ions to form stable binary ionic compounds, the sum of the charges must be zero. Since the potassium ion, K+, has a charge of +1, it can be paired with the lithium ion, Li+, which also has a charge of +1. Therefore, the compound formed would be KLi.