Which of the following correctly names the compound N_2O?

• A. Dinitrogen oxide
• B. Nitrogen dioxide
• C. Dinitrogen monoxide
• D. Nitrous oxide

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the chemical formula given, which is \(N_2O\), consisting of two nitrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
2. Step 2: Recall the naming rules for binary molecular compounds: use prefixes to indicate the number of atoms (di-, mono-, tri-, etc.) and name the elements with the more electropositive element first (here, nitrogen before oxygen).
3. Step 3: Apply the prefixes to the formula: 'di-' for two nitrogen atoms and 'mono-' for one oxygen atom. Note that the 'mono-' prefix is often used for the second element and sometimes the 'o' is dropped for ease of pronunciation.
4. Step 4: Combine the prefixes and element names to form the correct name: 'Dinitrogen monoxide'.
5. Step 5: Compare the options given and recognize that 'Dinitrogen monoxide' correctly follows the naming conventions for \(N_2O\), while the other options either refer to different compounds or use incorrect prefixes.