Compound Formation: Selenium and Lead(II)
How many selenium atoms are in the chemical formula for the compound formed when selenium is combined with lead(II)?
Selenium is a chemical element with the symbol Se and atomic number 34. It is a nonmetal with properties that are intermediate between the elements above.
Answer:
In order to determine the number of selenium atoms in the chemical formula formed when selenium is combined with lead(II), we need to understand the valency of selenium and lead(II) as well as how they combine to form a compound.
Lead(II) has a valency of +2, meaning it tends to lose two electrons to achieve stability. Selenium, on the other hand, has a valency of -2, meaning it tends to gain two electrons to achieve stability. When lead(II) combines with selenium, the compound formed will have a chemical formula of PbSe.
PbSe compound consists of one lead atom (Pb) and one selenium atom (Se) in a 1:1 ratio. Therefore, there is one selenium atom in the chemical formula for the compound formed when selenium is combined with lead(II).