the equation is:Aluminum+ Oxygen → Aluminum OxideAl + O lt;subgt;2lt;/subgt; → Al lt;subgt;2lt;/subgt; Olt;subgt;3lt;/subgt;i understand that Oxygen is a diatomic element and that is why in the first half of the equation it has a 2 at the bottomWhy is Aluminum Oxide written that way? Why isn't it just quot;Al Oquot; ?
4Al(s) + 3O2(g) - 2Al2O3(s) Aluminum combines with oxygen in a 2:3 ratio based on the number of electrons that aluminum and oxygen have to shareAluminum can share its 3 valence electrons, while oxygen can share two additional electronsTherefore, the aluminum and oxygen will combine in a 2:3 ratioBe careful about any answers that talk about ionsIn solid compounds there are no actual ionsThe bonds in solids always involve some degree of electron sharingThe same is true for aluminum and oxygen The Al-O bond has a percent ionic character of 57% Follow up Here we go.because the charges don't match upThis person means OXIDATION NUMBER, since there are no actual ions in aluminum oxideAluminum oxide, as I've shown above, isn't all that ionicAll bonds lie along a continuum between ionic and covalent and the Al-O bonds are right about in the middle.
