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11 grade chemistry others

What is the chemical formula for potassium sulfate?

Profile image of Aniket Singh
1 Year agoGrade
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1 Answer

Profile image of Askiitians Tutor Team
1 Year ago

To determine the chemical formula for potassium sulfate, we need to know the components that make up the compound.

1. **Identify the Elements**: Potassium sulfate consists of potassium (K), sulfur (S), and oxygen (O).

2. **Valency of the Elements**:
- Potassium (K) has a valency of +1.
- Sulfate (SO₄) is a polyatomic ion with a charge of -2.

3. **Combining the Elements**:
- Since potassium has a +1 charge and the sulfate ion has a -2 charge, we need two potassium ions to balance the charge of one sulfate ion.

4. **Writing the Formula**:
- We denote the potassium ions as K and the sulfate ion as SO₄.
- Therefore, we need two potassium ions for every one sulfate ion, resulting in the formula:
\[ \text{K}_2\text{SO}_4 \]

**Final Answer**: The chemical formula for potassium sulfate is **K₂SO₄**.