Nickel II nitride is a binary compound formed from nickel and nitrogen. The ‘II’ in its name indicates that nickel has a +2 oxidation state. To derive the formula, we need to balance the charges of the nickel and nitrogen atoms.
Nickel (Ni) in the +2 oxidation state has a charge of +2, while nitrogen (N) typically has a charge of -3 in nitrides. To balance these charges, we can use the following ratio:
2(Ni) + 3(N) = 2(+2) + 3(-3) = 0
This means we need two nickel ions and three nitride ions to achieve a neutral compound. Therefore, the correct formula for nickel II nitride is Ni3N2.