Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for sulfur hexafluoride?

• A. SF6
• B. S6F
• C. SF4
• D. S2F6

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the name of the compound: sulfur hexafluoride. The prefix 'hex-' means six, indicating there are six fluorine atoms.
2. Recall that the chemical symbol for sulfur is 'S' and for fluorine is 'F'.
3. Combine the symbols with the correct number of atoms: one sulfur atom and six fluorine atoms, which gives the formula \(\mathrm{SF_6}\).
4. Check the other options to ensure they do not match the name: \(\mathrm{S_6F}\) implies six sulfur atoms and one fluorine atom, \(\mathrm{SF_4}\) implies four fluorine atoms, and \(\mathrm{S_2F_6}\) implies two sulfur atoms and six fluorine atoms, none of which correspond to sulfur hexafluoride.
5. Conclude that the correct chemical formula for sulfur hexafluoride is \(\mathrm{SF_6}\).