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12 Potassium chloride, KCl, is an ionic compound - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry: Combined Science - Question 12 - 2022 - Paper 1
Question 12
12 Potassium chloride, KCl, is an ionic compound. It is made from potassium ions, K+, and chloride ions, Cl−. (a) Explain why potassium is found in Group 1 ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:12 Potassium chloride, KCl, is an ionic compound - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry: Combined Science - Question 12 - 2022 - Paper 1
Step 1
Explain why potassium is found in Group 1 of the Periodic Table.
Answer
Potassium is found in Group 1 of the Periodic Table because it has one electron in its outermost shell. The electron configuration of potassium is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹. This single valence electron makes potassium very reactive and leads to its classification in Group 1, where all elements have similar properties of having one electron in their outer shell.
Step 2
Explain how an atom of potassium reacts with an atom of chlorine to make potassium chloride.
Answer
An atom of potassium reacts with an atom of chlorine to form potassium chloride through an ionic bonding process. The potassium atom donates its one valence electron to the chlorine atom. This results in the formation of a potassium ion (K⁺) with a positive charge and a chloride ion (Cl⁻) with a negative charge. The electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions forms potassium chloride (KCl), which is a stable ionic compound.
Step 3
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