1. Charge Balance:
* The oxide ions (O²⁻) have a total charge of 8 * (-2) = -16.
* To maintain neutrality, the total positive charge from the X ions must be +16.
2. Setting up Equations:
* Let 'a' represent the number of X²⁺ ions.
* Let 'b' represent the number of X³⁺ ions.
We have two equations:
* Equation 1 (Number of X ions): a + b = 7
* Equation 2 (Charge balance): 2a + 3b = 16
3. Solving for the Ratio:
* Solve for 'a' in Equation 1: a = 7 - b
* Substitute this value of 'a' into Equation 2: 2(7 - b) + 3b = 16
* Simplify and solve for 'b': 14 - 2b + 3b = 16 => b = 2
* Substitute the value of 'b' back into Equation 1 to find 'a': a + 2 = 7 => a = 5
4. The Ratio:
The ratio of X²⁺ to X³⁺ ions is 5:2.
