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Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct name for the ionic compound SiO_2?
A
disilicon dioxygen
B
silicon dioxide
C
monosilicon oxide
D
silicon trioxygen
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Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the type of compound: SiO_2 is composed of silicon (Si) and oxygen (O). Since both are nonmetals, this is a molecular (covalent) compound, not an ionic compound.
Recall the naming rules for molecular compounds: Use prefixes to indicate the number of atoms of each element (mono-, di-, tri-, etc.), and the second element's name ends with '-ide'.
Determine the number of atoms of each element in SiO_2: There is 1 silicon atom and 2 oxygen atoms.
Apply the prefixes: For 1 silicon atom, the prefix 'mono-' is usually omitted for the first element, so just 'silicon'. For 2 oxygen atoms, use the prefix 'di-' and change oxygen to 'oxide', resulting in 'dioxide'.
Combine the names: The correct name is 'silicon dioxide', which matches the standard nomenclature for this compound.