What is the correct chemical formula for dinitrogen pentoxide?

• A. N2O5
• B. NO2
• C. N2O3
• D. NO5

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the naming convention for molecular compounds, where prefixes indicate the number of atoms of each element present in the compound.
2. Identify the prefix 'di-' which means 2, and 'pent-' which means 5, referring to the number of atoms of nitrogen and oxygen respectively.
3. Write the chemical symbols for nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O).
4. Combine the symbols with the appropriate subscripts based on the prefixes: 2 nitrogen atoms and 5 oxygen atoms, resulting in the formula \(N_2O_5\).
5. Verify that the formula matches the name dinitrogen pentoxide, confirming that \(N_2O_5\) is the correct chemical formula.