What is the correct name for the molecular compound SF_6?

• A. Sulfur hexafluoride
• B. Sulfur(VI) fluoride
• C. Sulfur heptafluoride
• D. Sulfur fluoride

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the elements in the compound SF_6. Here, S stands for sulfur and F stands for fluorine.
2. Determine the number of atoms of each element in the molecule. The subscript 6 indicates there are six fluorine atoms bonded to one sulfur atom.
3. Recall the naming rules for molecular (covalent) compounds: use prefixes to indicate the number of atoms of each element, except that 'mono-' is often omitted for the first element.
4. Apply the prefixes: since there is one sulfur atom, we simply use 'sulfur' without a prefix; for six fluorine atoms, use the prefix 'hexa-' combined with 'fluoride' to form 'hexafluoride'.
5. Combine the parts to form the full name: 'sulfur hexafluoride'. This is the correct systematic name for SF_6.