Question

Give the name or chemical formula, as appropriate, for each of the following binary molecular substances: (a) \(\mathrm{SF}_{6},(\mathbf{b}) \mathrm{IF}_{5},\) (c) \(\mathrm{XeO}_{3}\), (d) dinitrogen tetroxide, (e) hydrogen cyanide, (f) tetraphosphorus hexasulfide.

Short answer

(a) Sulfur hexafluoride, (b) Iodine pentafluoride, (c) Xenon trioxide, (d) \(N_2O_4\), (e) HCN, (f) \(P_4S_6\).

Step-by-step solution

(a) Naming SF6

Sulfur hexafluoride First, identify the elements involved in the compound: sulfur (S) and fluorine (F). Next, determine the number of each element present in the formula. In this case, there are one sulfur atom and six fluorine atoms. Use numerical prefixes to indicate the number of atoms for each element (except for the first element, if there's only one atom), and then combine the names of the two elements: sulfur hexafluoride.

(b) Naming IF5

Iodine pentafluoride First, identify the elements involved in the compound: iodine (I) and fluorine (F). Next, determine the number of each element present in the formula. In this case, there are one iodine atom and five fluorine atoms. Use numerical prefixes to indicate the number of atoms for each element (except for the first element, if there's only one atom), and then combine the names of the two elements: iodine pentafluoride.

(c) Naming XeO3

Xenon trioxide First, identify the elements involved in the compound: xenon (Xe) and oxygen (O). Next, determine the number of each element present in the formula. In this case, there are one xenon atom and three oxygen atoms. Use numerical prefixes to indicate the number of atoms for each element (except for the first element, if there's only one atom), and then combine the names of the two elements: xenon trioxide.

(d) Finding the formula for dinitrogen tetroxide

Formula: N2O4 First, identify the elements involved in the name: nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O). Next, determine the numerical prefixes used for each element. In this case, "di" means two and "tetra" means four. Apply the numerical prefixes to the corresponding elements to obtain the chemical formula: N2O4.

(e) Finding the formula for hydrogen cyanide

Formula: HCN First, identify the elements involved in the name: hydrogen (H) and cyanide (CN). There is no numerical prefix, which means that there is one hydrogen atom and one cyanide ion. The chemical formula for hydrogen cyanide is HCN.

(f) Finding the formula for tetraphosphorus hexasulfide

Formula: P4S6 First, identify the elements involved in the name: phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S). Next, determine the numerical prefixes used for each element. In this case, "tetra" means four and "hexa" means six. Apply the numerical prefixes to the corresponding elements to obtain the chemical formula: P4S6.

Key concepts

Binary Molecular Compounds

Binary molecular compounds are composed of two non-metal elements. The compounds form due to covalent bonds, where electrons are shared between atoms. A clear understanding of the elements involved is essential when naming these compounds.

To properly name a binary molecular compound, both elements must be identified. First, the element closer to the left on the periodic table is named, using its full elemental name. The second element is named with an 'ide' suffix added to its root name.

For example, in sulfur hexafluoride (\( \text{SF}_6 \)), sulfur is named first followed by fluorine, which is altered to fluoride. Understanding how these names are built will help you decode and compose chemical nomenclature seamlessly.

Numerical Prefixes in Chemistry

Numerical prefixes in chemistry are vital for indicating the quantity of each type of atom in a molecule. These prefixes originate from Greek or Latin, and their purpose is to make communication about chemical compounds more precise.

Here are common numerical prefixes used in chemistry:

• Mono-: 1
• Di-: 2
• Tri-: 3
• Tetra-: 4
• Penta-: 5
• Hexa-: 6

Notice that for the first element, the prefix “mono-” is typically omitted. For instance, in iodine pentafluoride (\( \text{IF}_5 \)), 'pent-' signals that there are five fluorine atoms, while iodine has no prefix as there's only one atom present.

Proper use of these prefixes ensures clarity in chemical communication, allowing you to convert names to formulas and vice versa effectively.

Chemical Formulas

Chemical formulas serve as the shorthand of chemistry, conveying what elements are present and the exact number of atoms of each. For every binary molecular compound, the formula provides a systematic representation of the compound's composition.

For example, in compounds like dinitrogen tetroxide (\( \text{N}_2\text{O}_4 \)), the formula uses the prefixes ‘di’ and ‘tetra’ to show that there are two atoms of nitrogen and four atoms of oxygen. This structured format helps communicate complex molecular structures in a simplified way.

Understanding chemical formulas is crucial in fields such as chemistry and material science, where precise knowledge of molecular composition determines properties and reactions of substances. Once you master deriving formulas from compound names, you will open a pathway to comprehending more intricate details of molecular chemistry.