To determine the chemical formula for copper(II) phosphate, we need to balance the charges on the ions so that the overall charge of the compound is neutral. Let's go through the steps to find the correct answer.
1. Identify the Charges of the Ions:
- Copper(II) ion: [tex]\( Cu^{2+} \)[/tex]
- Phosphate ion: [tex]\( PO_4^{3-} \)[/tex]
2. Determine the Required Number of Each Ion:
- The copper ion has a charge of [tex]\( +2 \)[/tex].
- The phosphate ion has a charge of [tex]\( -3 \)[/tex].
3. Find the Least Common Multiple (LCM) of the Charges:
- The charge of copper(II) ion [tex]\( Cu^{2+} \)[/tex] is [tex]\( +2 \)[/tex].
- The charge of phosphate ion [tex]\( PO_4^{3-} \)[/tex] is [tex]\( -3 \)[/tex].
- The least common multiple of 2 and 3 is 6.
4. Balance the Charges Using the LCM:
- To achieve a total positive charge of +6, we need 3 copper ions (since [tex]\( 3 \times 2 = 6 \)[/tex]).
- To achieve a total negative charge of -6, we need 2 phosphate ions (since [tex]\( 2 \times 3 = -6 \)[/tex]).
5. Write the Chemical Formula:
- Therefore, we need 3 copper ions [tex]\( Cu^{2+} \)[/tex] and 2 phosphate ions [tex]\( PO_4^{3-} \)[/tex] to balance the charges.
- The formula will be [tex]\( Cu_3(PO_4)_2 \)[/tex].
Thus, the chemical formula of copper(II) phosphate is [tex]\(\boxed{Cu_3(PO_4)_2}\)[/tex].
So, the correct answer is:
D. [tex]\( Cu_3(PO_4)_2 \)[/tex]
