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  • NH₄SO₂ Compound: Why It's Unstable & Charge Balancing
    There is no stable compound with the formula NH₄SO₂. Here's why:

    * Ammonium Ion (NH₄⁺): The ammonium ion is a positively charged ion formed by the protonation of ammonia (NH₃).

    * Sulfite Ion (SO₃²⁻): The sulfite ion is a negatively charged ion containing sulfur and oxygen.

    Balancing Charges: To form a neutral compound, the charges of the cation and anion must balance. The ammonium ion has a +1 charge, and the sulfite ion has a -2 charge. Therefore, we need two ammonium ions to balance the charge of one sulfite ion.

    Correct Formula: The correct formula for the compound formed by ammonium and sulfite is (NH₄)₂SO₃, which is called ammonium sulfite.

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