Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for sulfur hexafluoride?

• A. SF6
• B. S2F6
• C. SF4
• D. S6F

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the name of the compound: sulfur hexafluoride. The prefix 'hex-' means six, indicating there are six fluorine atoms.
2. Recall that the chemical symbol for sulfur is 'S' and for fluorine is 'F'.
3. Combine the symbols with the correct number of atoms: one sulfur atom and six fluorine atoms, which gives the formula \(S F_6\).
4. Check the other options to see if they match the name: \(S_2 F_6\) has two sulfur atoms, \(S F_4\) has four fluorine atoms, and \(S_6 F\) has six sulfur atoms, so these do not match 'sulfur hexafluoride'.
5. Conclude that the correct chemical formula for sulfur hexafluoride is \(S F_6\).