What is the correct name for the aqueous acid with the formula HF(aq)?

• A. Hydrogen fluoride acid
• B. Hydrofluoric acid
• C. Fluorine acid
• D. Fluoric acid

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the chemical formula given: HF(aq), where (aq) indicates the substance is dissolved in water, making it an aqueous solution.
2. Recognize that HF is composed of hydrogen (H) and fluorine (F). When naming acids, the name depends on the anion (the non-hydrogen part).
3. Since the anion is fluoride (F⁻), and it is a binary acid (consisting of hydrogen and one other element), the naming convention is to use the prefix 'hydro-', followed by the root of the anion name, and end with '-ic acid'.
4. Apply the naming rule: fluoride becomes 'fluor-' and adding the prefix and suffix gives 'hydrofluoric acid'.
5. Confirm that 'hydrofluoric acid' is the correct IUPAC name for HF(aq), distinguishing it from other options that are either incorrect or non-standard.