1. Understanding the Formula
* Mg(NO₃)₂: This is the chemical formula for magnesium nitrate. It tells us:
* There's one magnesium atom (Mg).
* There are two nitrate groups (NO₃).
* Each nitrate group contains one nitrogen atom (N) and three oxygen atoms (O).
2. Total Atoms
* Magnesium (Mg): 1 atom
* Nitrogen (N): 2 atoms (2 nitrate groups x 1 nitrogen per group)
* Oxygen (O): 6 atoms (2 nitrate groups x 3 oxygen per group)
3. Total: 1 + 2 + 6 = 9 atoms
Therefore, there are 9 atoms in one molecule of magnesium nitrate (Mg(NO₃)₂).