Multiple Choice
Which is the correct name for the compound PCl_5?
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3. Chemical Reactions
Naming Molecular Compounds
Multiple Choice
What is the correct name for the molecular compound with the formula O2F2?
A
oxygen difluoride
B
dioxygen difluoride
C
dioxide difluoride
D
oxygen fluoride
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the elements present in the compound: O (oxygen) and F (fluorine).
Determine the number of atoms of each element in the formula O2F2: there are 2 oxygen atoms and 2 fluorine atoms.
Recall the naming rules for molecular (covalent) compounds: use prefixes to indicate the number of atoms of each element (mono-, di-, tri-, etc.), and the more electronegative element is named last with an '-ide' suffix.
Apply the prefixes to each element: 'di-' for 2 oxygen atoms and 'di-' for 2 fluorine atoms, resulting in 'dioxygen difluoride'.
Note that for oxygen, the prefix 'di-' is retained in this case to avoid confusion, so the correct name is 'dioxygen difluoride'.
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