Question

Chemical formula of sulphur trioxide is
A) $S{{O}_{3}}$
B) $S{{O}_{2}}$
C)${{H}_{2}}S$
D) None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: The answer to this question lies in the concept of chemistry which deals with the writing chemical formula based on the oxidation states and the name it is called. The name of the chemical gives you an idea of the correct answer.

Complete step by step solution:
We have studied about the oxidation states and also about writing the chemical formula based on the empirical formula.
- Empirical formula gives the simplest whole number ratio of the atoms in a compound and the structural formula which indicates the bonding arrangement of these atoms in a molecule.
- Chemical formula is a way to present the identification of a chemical compound and their information about the chemical proportions of atoms that constitute the whole of a molecule.
- Structural formula is the one which shows the bonds and arrangements of atoms in a molecule.
Therefore, based on all these facts we can say that sulphur trioxide can be given a formula as follows,
- Sulphur have capacity to bin to atoms having single bond or three atoms having double bond because the oxidation state of sulphur is +6 and thus it is in the form ${{S}^{6+}}$
- On the other hand the oxide ion is having three oxygen atoms bound to a single atom with the oxidation state on each atom having charge -21. Thus it can be written as, ${{O}^{2-}}$
Therefore formula for sulphur trioxide is given as $S{{O}_{3}}$

Thus, the correct answer is option A)

Note: Sometimes by concentrating on the names of the chemical compound which itself gives the empirical formula like the above question, you can guess the correct answer. This may be the shortcut way to approach the right answer.