Which of the following is the correct IUPAC name for HNO3(aq)?

• A. Nitrate acid
• B. Nitric acid
• C. Hydronitric acid
• D. Nitrous acid

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recognize that HNO3 is an acid composed of hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O). It is commonly known as nitric acid in aqueous solution.
2. Understand that the IUPAC naming convention for oxyacids (acids containing oxygen) depends on the polyatomic ion related to the acid. Here, the polyatomic ion is nitrate, NO3⁻.
3. Recall the naming rule: acids derived from polyatomic ions ending in '-ate' are named with the suffix '-ic' followed by the word 'acid'. Since the ion is nitrate (NO3⁻), the acid is named nitric acid.
4. Note that 'nitrate acid' is incorrect because acids are not named by simply adding 'acid' to the ion name; the suffix changes to '-ic'.
5. Confirm that 'nitrous acid' corresponds to HNO2, which contains the nitrite ion (NO2⁻), and 'hydronitric acid' is not a recognized name in IUPAC nomenclature.