Question

What is the valency of sulphide?

Answer 1

Valency:

• An atom’s combining capacity is known as its valency. The valency of the element represents the number of bonds that an atom can form as part of a compound.
• A radical is an atom of an element or a group of atoms of different elements that behaves as a single unit with a positive or negative charge on it.

Examples:

• Sulphate $\left({\mathrm{SO}}_4^{2-}\right)$, Nitrate $\left({\mathrm{NO}}_3^{-}\right)$, Carbonate $\left({\mathrm{CO}}_3^{2-}\right)$, Phosphate $\left({\mathrm{PO}}_4^{3-}\right)$, etc.

Valency of sulphide:

• Sulphide is also an example of a radical. Suphide has a chemical formula of ${\mathrm{S}}^{2-}$ . The valency is equal to the magnitude of the charge they carry. Hence the valency of sulphide is 2.
• Many metals combine with sulphide to form minerals. For example, pyrite is a sulphide of iron with the formula ${\mathrm{FeS}}_2$. It is one of the most abundant sulphur minerals.