Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for diphosphorus pentasulfide?

• A. PS5
• B. P5S2
• C. P2S3
• D. P2S5

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the naming convention for binary molecular compounds, which often uses Greek prefixes to indicate the number of atoms of each element in the compound.
2. Identify the prefixes in the name 'diphosphorus pentasulfide': 'di-' means 2 phosphorus atoms, and 'penta-' means 5 sulfur atoms.
3. Write the chemical symbols for phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) and apply the prefixes to determine the number of atoms: P2 and S5.
4. Combine the symbols and numbers to form the chemical formula: P2S5.
5. Verify that the formula matches the name by checking that the number of atoms corresponds to the prefixes given in the compound's name.