Here's why:
* "Hexa-" means six.
* "Chloride" refers to the anion Cl⁻ (chlorine atom with a -1 charge).
To correctly describe a compound, you need to specify what the six chloride ions are bonded to. For example:
* Hexachloroplatinate(IV) ion ([PtCl₆]²⁻) has six chloride ions bonded to a platinum(IV) ion.
* Hexachloroaluminate(III) ion ([AlCl₆]³⁻) has six chloride ions bonded to an aluminum(III) ion.
To calculate the number of atoms in a specific hexachloride compound:
1. Identify the central atom: This will be the atom that the chloride ions are bonded to.
2. Count the number of chloride ions: This will always be six.
3. Add the number of atoms in the central atom and the chloride ions: This gives you the total number of atoms in the compound.
For example, in hexachloroplatinate(IV) ion:
* Central atom: Platinum (Pt)
* Chloride ions: 6
* Total atoms: 1 (Pt) + 6 (Cl) = 7 atoms
