Which of the following is the correct name for the molecular compound CO?

• A. Carbon monoxide
• B. Carbon dioxide
• C. Carbon oxide
• D. Cobalt oxide

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the chemical formula given: CO, which consists of one carbon (C) atom and one oxygen (O) atom.
2. Recall the naming rules for molecular (covalent) compounds, which typically use prefixes to indicate the number of atoms present in the molecule.
3. Since there is one carbon atom, the element name 'carbon' is used without a prefix. For one oxygen atom, the prefix 'mono-' is used, but the 'o' in 'mono-' is often dropped when the element name starts with a vowel.
4. Combine the names with the appropriate prefix for oxygen, resulting in 'carbon monoxide'.
5. Verify that the other options do not correctly follow the naming conventions: 'carbon dioxide' refers to CO2, 'carbon oxide' is not specific, and 'cobalt oxide' refers to a compound with cobalt, not carbon.