What is the correct name for the ionic compound formed from Sr and P?

• A. Strontium diphosphide
• B. Strontium phosphate
• C. Strontium phosphorus
• D. Strontium phosphide

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the elements involved: Sr (Strontium) is a metal and P (Phosphorus) is a nonmetal, so they form an ionic compound.
2. Determine the charges of the ions: Strontium typically forms a +2 ion (Sr^{2+}), and phosphorus forms a -3 ion (P^{3-}) as the phosphide ion.
3. Balance the charges to find the correct formula: To balance +2 and -3 charges, find the least common multiple, which is 6. This means 3 Sr^{2+} ions and 2 P^{3-} ions combine to form Sr_3P_2.
4. Name the compound using the cation name followed by the anion name: The cation is 'Strontium' and the anion is 'phosphide' (the name for P^{3-} ion).
5. Combine the names without prefixes for ionic compounds: The correct name is 'Strontium phosphide' because ionic compounds do not use prefixes like 'di-' or 'tri-' in their names.