To determine the number of oxygen (O) atoms in the compound [tex]\(Zn(ClO_3)_2\)[/tex], follow these steps:
1. Analyze the Composition:
- The compound [tex]\(Zn(ClO_3)_2\)[/tex] consists of one zinc (Zn) atom and two chlorate ([tex]\(ClO_3\)[/tex]) groups.
2. Inspect the Chlorate Group:
- Each chlorate group ([tex]\(ClO_3\)[/tex]) contains:
- 1 chlorine (Cl) atom
- 3 oxygen (O) atoms
3. Calculate the Total Oxygen Atoms:
- Since there are 2 chlorate ([tex]\(ClO_3\)[/tex]) groups in [tex]\(Zn(ClO_3)_2\)[/tex], we calculate the total number of oxygen atoms by multiplying the number of oxygen atoms in one chlorate group by the number of chlorate groups.
[tex]\[
\text{Total oxygen atoms} = 3 \text{ (oxygen atoms per \(ClO_3\))} \times 2 \text{ (chlorate groups)}
\][/tex]
[tex]\[
\text{Total oxygen atoms} = 6
\][/tex]
Therefore, the number of oxygen atoms in [tex]\(Zn(ClO_3)_2\)[/tex] is [tex]\( \boxed{6} \)[/tex].
