What is the correct chemical name for the molecular compound N_2O_3?

• A. Dinitrogen trioxide
• B. Nitrogen dioxide
• C. Dinitrogen pentoxide
• D. Nitrogen trioxide

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the elements present in the compound N_2O_3. Here, the elements are nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O).
2. Determine the number of atoms of each element in the compound. There are 2 nitrogen atoms and 3 oxygen atoms.
3. Recall the naming rules for molecular (covalent) compounds: use prefixes to indicate the number of atoms of each element. The prefixes are: mono- (1), di- (2), tri- (3), tetra- (4), penta- (5), etc.
4. Apply the prefixes to the elements: 'di-' for 2 nitrogen atoms and 'tri-' for 3 oxygen atoms. The first element keeps its full name (nitrogen), and the second element uses the root of the element name with the suffix '-oxide' for oxygen.
5. Combine the parts to form the name: 'Dinitrogen trioxide'. This correctly reflects the composition N_2O_3.