Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for iodine trichloride?

• A. I3Cl3
• B. I3Cl
• C. ICl
• D. ICl3

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the naming convention for binary molecular compounds, which often use prefixes to indicate the number of atoms of each element in the compound. For example, 'tri-' means three.
2. Identify the elements involved: 'iodine' corresponds to the symbol I, and 'chloride' corresponds to Cl.
3. Recognize that 'iodine trichloride' means one iodine atom combined with three chlorine atoms, based on the prefix 'tri-' attached to chlorine.
4. Write the chemical formula by placing the symbol for iodine first (I), followed by the symbol for chlorine (Cl) with the subscript 3 to indicate three chlorine atoms: \(ICl_3\).
5. Verify that the formula matches the name: one iodine atom and three chlorine atoms, which corresponds to iodine trichloride.