Give the systematic name for the following compound: SeF₆

• A. selenium fluoride
• B. selenium hexafluoride
• C. monoselenium hexafluoride
• D. monoselenium fluoride
• E. selenium fluorite

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the elements in the compound: The compound SeF6 consists of selenium (Se) and fluorine (F).
2. Determine the number of each type of atom: The formula SeF6 indicates there is one selenium atom and six fluorine atoms.
3. Apply the rules for naming binary molecular compounds: For nonmetals, use prefixes to indicate the number of each type of atom. The prefix 'hexa-' is used for six.
4. Name the first element: Since there is only one selenium atom, we do not use a prefix for it. The name remains 'selenium'.
5. Name the second element with the appropriate prefix: Use the prefix 'hexa-' for the six fluorine atoms, and change the ending of 'fluorine' to 'fluoride'. Thus, the name becomes 'hexafluoride'. Combine the names to get 'selenium hexafluoride'.