Question

How many chloride ions are needed to cancel the 2+ charge of magnesium in magnesium chloride?

Answer 1

as the charge of chloride is 1- , two chloride ions are needed to cancel the 2+ charge in MgCl2

Answer 2

Two chlorides ions are required to cancel the 2+ charge of Mg in MgCl2

Compound formation

Forming a compound consisting of magnesium and chlorine requires that the positive charges balance the negative charges.

Magnesium  has 2 positive charges with the symbol Mg2+

Chlorine has 1 negative charge with the symbol Cl-

For both Mg2+ and Cl- to form a compound, 2 Cl- will have to participate in order to balance the 2+ on Mg2+

Thus:

Mg2+ + 2Cl- -----> MgCl2

More on formation of compounds can be found here: https://brainly.com/question/1402032