Certainly! Let's walk through the steps to determine the products of a double-replacement reaction involving magnesium fluoride, [tex]\(MgF_2\)[/tex], and sodium sulfide, [tex]\(Na_2S\)[/tex].
1. Identify the Cations and Anions:
- [tex]\(MgF_2\)[/tex] consists of magnesium ([tex]\(Mg^{2+}\)[/tex]) cations and fluoride ([tex]\(F^-\)[/tex]) anions.
- [tex]\(Na_2S\)[/tex] consists of sodium ([tex]\(Na^+\)[/tex]) cations and sulfide ([tex]\(S^{2-}\)[/tex]) anions.
2. Understand Double-Replacement Reaction:
In a double-replacement (or double displacement) reaction, the cations and anions of the two reactants switch places. This means:
- The [tex]\(Mg^{2+}\)[/tex] cations will pair with the [tex]\(S^{2-}\)[/tex] anions.
- The [tex]\(Na^+\)[/tex] cations will pair with the [tex]\(F^-\)[/tex] anions.
3. Form the New Compounds:
- When [tex]\(Mg^{2+}\)[/tex] combines with [tex]\(S^{2-}\)[/tex], the product is magnesium sulfide ([tex]\(MgS\)[/tex]).
- When [tex]\(Na^+\)[/tex] combines with [tex]\(F^-\)[/tex], the product is sodium fluoride ([tex]\(NaF\)[/tex]).
4. Write the Balanced Chemical Equation:
The double-replacement reaction can therefore be written as:
[tex]\[
MgF_2 + Na_2S \rightarrow MgS + NaF
\][/tex]
To ensure the equation is balanced:
- The balanced form requires 2 moles of [tex]\(NaF\)[/tex] to balance the fluoride ions from [tex]\(MgF_2\)[/tex], resulting in:
[tex]\[
MgF_2 + Na_2S \rightarrow MgS + 2NaF
\][/tex]
5. Determine the Correct Option:
The products of the reaction are sodium fluoride ([tex]\(NaF\)[/tex]) and magnesium sulfide ([tex]\(MgS\)[/tex]).
Therefore, the correct answer is:
C. NaF and MgS
