Multiple Choice
What is the correct chemical formula for the compound nitrogen trifluoride?
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3. Chemical Reactions
Naming Molecular Compounds
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What is the correct name for the molecular compound with the formula N_2O?
A
Dinitrogen oxide
B
Nitrogen dioxide
C
Nitrous oxide
D
Dinitrogen monoxide
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the elements present in the molecular formula N_2O: there are two nitrogen (N) atoms and one oxygen (O) atom.
Recall the naming rules for molecular (covalent) compounds: use prefixes to indicate the number of atoms of each element, except omit 'mono-' for the first element if there is only one atom.
Apply the prefixes: 'di-' for two nitrogen atoms and 'mono-' for one oxygen atom, resulting in 'dinitrogen monoxide'.
Note that common names sometimes differ from systematic names; for example, N_2O is commonly called 'nitrous oxide', but the correct systematic name is 'dinitrogen monoxide'.
Confirm that the other options do not match the formula: 'nitrogen dioxide' corresponds to NO_2, and 'dinitrogen oxide' is incomplete without specifying the oxygen count.
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