Which of the following is the correct name for SiCl_4?

• A. silicon chlorate
• B. silicon(IV) chloride
• C. silicon chloride
• D. silicon tetrachloride

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the chemical formula given: SiCl_4, which consists of one silicon (Si) atom and four chlorine (Cl) atoms.
2. Recognize that SiCl_4 is a molecular compound formed between a nonmetal (silicon) and halogen atoms (chlorine), so it is named using prefixes to indicate the number of atoms.
3. Recall the naming rules for covalent compounds: use prefixes like mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, etc., to indicate the number of atoms of each element. The prefix 'tetra-' means four.
4. Name the first element (silicon) as is, without a prefix if there is only one atom, and name the second element (chlorine) with the suffix '-ide' and the appropriate prefix for the number of atoms. Since there are four chlorine atoms, use 'tetrachloride'.
5. Combine the parts to form the correct name: 'silicon tetrachloride'. This matches the correct naming convention for SiCl_4.