Letter 22093

How to bond nickel [Pennsylvania] 

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I would like to know how nickel the element bonds with other compounds and or elements.

Ilana A.
- Merion, PA, U.S

Nickel most commonly ionizes to a +2 valence state, as in NiCl₂.

 
Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com Inc. - Brick, NJ

Grab any basic chemistry book for a longer explanation. A nickel ion's outer electron orbit is 2 electrons short of being full. It is much happier when it is full. Now a chlorine ion's outer orbit has only one. This is quite unstable and that is why it is so reactive. To make each happy, two chlorine electrons share space with the outer orbit of the nickel.

James Watts
- FL

Jim, I notice that when I try to think like an eighth-grader to answer these questions, I manage to forget stuff I've learned, and I end up with a half-right answer.

You know very well that Chlorine is a Group VII element that is one electron short of balanced, rather than having one electron too many. You just forgot it for a moment when you tried to think like a student :-)

 
Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com Inc. - Brick, NJ

Yes, it looked terrible when I read it in print. Also left out the fact that it only has a + or - charge when the protons are not equal to the electrons. That and I had not looked at the actual layout in the rings. Right intentions, but lousy execution. All covered by the one true statement: get a chemistry book and read. Oh well, hoof in the mouth one more time.

James Watts
- FL

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