To determine the correct formula for beryllium acetate, we need to follow some guidelines from chemistry regarding chemical formulas:
1. Identify the ions involved:
- Beryllium (Be) is a metal and typically forms a +2 charge as a cation.
- Acetate ([tex]$C_2H_3O_2^-$[/tex]) is a common polyatomic anion with a -1 charge.
2. Combine ions to form a neutral compound:
- Since beryllium forms a +2 cation and acetate forms a -1 anion, it requires two acetate ions to balance out the +2 charge of one beryllium ion.
3. Construct the correct formula:
- Combining one beryllium ion with two acetate ions, the formula for beryllium acetate becomes [tex]$Be(C_2H_3O_2)_2$[/tex].
Now, let's match this formula with the given options:
a. [tex]$Be(C_2H_3O_2)$[/tex]: This formula only has one acetate ion, which doesn't balance the +2 charge on beryllium. This option is incorrect.
b. [tex]$Be(HCO_3)_2$[/tex]: This is beryllium bicarbonate, not beryllium acetate. Therefore, this option is incorrect.
c. [tex]$Br(C_2H_3O_2)_2$[/tex]: This contains bromine (Br) instead of beryllium, so it is incorrect.
d. [tex]$Be(C_2H_3O_2)_2$[/tex]: This correctly represents one beryllium ion combined with two acetate ions, making it the right formula for beryllium acetate.
Thus, the correct answer is:
d. [tex]$Be(C_2H_3O_2)_2$[/tex].
