Chemistry Nomenclature Practice Test

Ammonium sulfate is a compound formed from ammonium ions and sulfate ions. To determine the correct formula, it's important to recognize the components that make up ammonium sulfate.

The ammonium ion has a formula of NH₄⁺. Since ammonium sulfate consists of two ammonium ions to balance the charge of a single sulfate ion (SO₄²⁻), the overall formula must accommodate this ratio. Therefore, we require two ammonium ions to balance the two negative charges from one sulfate ion.

The correct formula, (NH₄)₂SO₄, indicates that there are two ammonium ions paired with one sulfate ion. This balance of charges is crucial in forming a stable ionic compound. Other choices either do not reflect this balance accurately or misrepresent the number of ammonium ions in relation to the sulfate ion, leading to incorrect formulas. Thus, (NH₄)₂SO₄ accurately represents ammonium sulfate.