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

• A. S6F
• B. SF6
• C. S2F6
• D. SF4

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the naming convention: 'sulfur hexafluoride' indicates a compound made of sulfur (S) and fluorine (F) atoms, where 'hexafluoride' means there are six fluorine atoms bonded to one sulfur atom.
2. Recall that the prefix 'hexa-' means six, so the formula should have six fluorine atoms attached to sulfur.
3. Write the chemical formula by placing the sulfur symbol first, followed by the fluorine symbol with the subscript 6 to indicate six fluorine atoms: \(S F_6\).
4. Check the options given and compare them to the formula derived: S6F, SF6, S2F6, and SF4.
5. Identify that the correct formula matches the one with one sulfur atom and six fluorine atoms, which is \(S F_6\).