What is the correct name for the ionic compound AlBr3?

• A. aluminum bromine
• B. aluminum(III) bromide
• C. aluminum bromate
• D. aluminum tribromide

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the cation and anion in the compound AlBr3. Here, Al is aluminum (a metal) and Br is bromine (a nonmetal).
2. Determine the charge on the aluminum ion. Aluminum typically forms a +3 charge, so it is Al^{3+}.
3. Determine the charge on the bromide ion. Bromine gains one electron to become bromide with a -1 charge, Br^{-}.
4. Balance the charges to form a neutral compound. Since aluminum is +3 and bromide is -1, three bromide ions are needed to balance one aluminum ion, giving the formula AlBr3.
5. Name the compound using the correct nomenclature for ionic compounds: name the metal (aluminum) first, then the nonmetal with the suffix '-ide' (bromide). Since aluminum has only one common charge, no Roman numeral is needed. The correct name is aluminum bromide.