Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for nitrogen triiodide?

• A. N2I3
• B. NI3
• C. N3I
• D. NI

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the name of the compound: 'nitrogen triiodide' indicates it is a compound made of nitrogen and iodine atoms, with 'triiodide' meaning three iodine atoms are bonded to nitrogen.
2. Recall the naming convention for binary molecular compounds: prefixes like 'tri-' indicate the number of atoms of the element that follows. 'Triiodide' means three iodine atoms.
3. Write the chemical symbols for the elements involved: nitrogen is 'N' and iodine is 'I'.
4. Combine the symbols with the correct number of atoms indicated by the prefixes: one nitrogen atom (no prefix means one) and three iodine atoms (tri- means three), resulting in the formula \(NI_3\).
5. Verify that the formula matches the name: nitrogen triiodide corresponds to \(NI_3\), not \(N_2I_3\), \(N_3I\), or \(NI\).