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What is the type of inorganic compound formed between magnesium and chlorine: ionic, covalent or metallic? Justify your answer with appropriate evidence.

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The inorganic compound formed between magnesium and chlorine is an ionic compound. This can be justified with appropriate evidence as follows:1. Magnesium  Mg  is a metal, and chlorine  Cl  is a non-metal. In general, when a metal reacts with a non-metal, they form an ionic compound.2. Magnesium has an electron configuration of [Ne]3s2, meaning it has two valence electrons. Chlorine has an electron configuration of [Ne]3s2 3p5, meaning it has seven valence electrons. Magnesium tends to lose its two valence electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, while chlorine tends to gain one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration. When magnesium loses its two valence electrons, it forms a Mg2+ ion, and when chlorine gains one electron, it forms a Cl- ion. The electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions results in the formation of an ionic compound, MgCl2  magnesium chloride .3. The difference in electronegativity between magnesium and chlorine is significant. Magnesium has an electronegativity of 1.31, while chlorine has an electronegativity of 3.16. The difference in electronegativity  3.16 - 1.31 = 1.85  is greater than 1.7, which is a general threshold for determining if a bond is ionic. This further supports the classification of the compound as ionic.In conclusion, the inorganic compound formed between magnesium and chlorine is an ionic compound, specifically magnesium chloride  MgCl2 , due to the transfer of electrons from the metal  Mg  to the non-metal  Cl  and the significant difference in electronegativity between the two elements.
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