1. Chemical Formula:
Ammonium sulfate has the chemical formula (NH₄)₂SO₄.
2. Valency of Ammonium:
* Ammonium (NH₄⁺) has a valency of +1. It's a polyatomic ion with a positive charge.
3. Valency of Sulfate:
* Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) has a valency of -2. It's a polyatomic ion with a negative charge.
4. Balancing Charges:
* To balance the charges in the compound, you need two ammonium ions (2 x +1 = +2) to neutralize the negative charge of the sulfate ion (-2).
5. Valency of Sulfur:
* Sulfur (S) is part of the sulfate ion (SO₄²⁻). Since the overall charge of the sulfate ion is -2, and oxygen has a valency of -2, the sulfur must have a valency of +6 to balance the charges: (+6) + (4 x -2) = -2.
Therefore, the valency of sulfur in ammonium sulfate is +6.
