What is the correct name for the compound with the formula KHCO3?

• A. Potassium bicarbonate
• B. Potassium hydroxide
• C. Potassium carbonate
• D. Potassium hydrogen carbonate

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the ions present in the compound KHCO3. The formula contains K, H, C, and O atoms, which suggests it is composed of potassium (K) and a polyatomic ion containing hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen.
2. Recognize that the polyatomic ion HCO3\(^{-}\) is called the bicarbonate ion or hydrogen carbonate ion. This ion consists of one hydrogen, one carbon, and three oxygen atoms.
3. Combine the potassium ion K\(^{+}\) with the bicarbonate ion HCO3\(^{-}\) to form the compound. Since potassium has a +1 charge and bicarbonate has a -1 charge, they combine in a 1:1 ratio to form KHCO3.
4. Recall the naming conventions for ionic compounds: the cation (potassium) is named first, followed by the name of the anion. For HCO3\(^{-}\), the correct name is either bicarbonate or hydrogen carbonate.
5. Conclude that the correct name for KHCO3 is 'potassium bicarbonate' (or equivalently 'potassium hydrogen carbonate'), and distinguish it from potassium hydroxide (KOH) and potassium carbonate (K2CO3), which are different compounds.