Which of the following features should be included in the IUPAC name for NF_3?

• A. The name 'nitrogen fluoride' without any prefixes
• B. The use of 'oxide' for the fluorine element
• C. No prefixes for either element
• D. A prefix indicating three fluorine atoms

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the type of compound NF_3 is. Since it consists of two nonmetals (nitrogen and fluorine), it is a molecular (covalent) compound, so the IUPAC naming uses prefixes to indicate the number of atoms.
2. Step 2: Recall the common prefixes used in naming molecular compounds: mono- (1), di- (2), tri- (3), tetra- (4), etc. These prefixes are placed before the element names to indicate the number of atoms present.
3. Step 3: Determine the correct element names. 'Nitrogen' remains as is, and 'fluorine' changes to 'fluoride' when naming compounds, following IUPAC conventions for anions or substituents.
4. Step 4: Apply the prefix 'tri-' to fluorine because there are three fluorine atoms in NF_3. The prefix 'mono-' is often omitted for the first element, so 'nitrogen' is written without a prefix.
5. Step 5: Combine the parts to form the correct IUPAC name: 'nitrogen trifluoride'. This name correctly includes the prefix indicating three fluorine atoms and uses the proper element names.