Properties of Iron Oxide
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Compound Name: Ferrous Oxide
Formula: FeO
Molar Mass: 71.8 g
Melting Point: 1370°C
Boiling Point: N/A
Density: 5.7 g/cm3


Other Properties

Natural Color: Black
Appearance at room temperature: Solid crystalline substance
 

Structure

The iron and oxide ions in iron oxide are bonded with ionic bonds, making iron oxide a salt. There is a 1:1 ratio of iron ions to oxide ions, and being a salt, iron oxide does not have individual molecules, but forms geometrically, with all of the ions bonded with electrostatic forces. In the crystals formed, there is much more than one ion of iron and one ion of oxide bonded, rather there are many of each ion, always in a 1:1 ratio for the compound FeO, as seen in the diagram below:

Percentage Composition by mass:
       
%Fe-  77.7%Fe
        %O -  22.3%O

Percentage Composition by number:
       
%Fe-  50.0%
        %O -  50.0%

Fe::O (double bond)

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