Give the systematic name for the following compound:HCN

• A. cyanate acid
• B. cyanous acid
• C. hydrocyanous acid
• D. cyanic acid
• E. hydrocyanic acid

Answer: (E)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the components of the compound HCN. It consists of hydrogen (H), carbon (C), and nitrogen (N).
2. Recognize that HCN is a binary acid, which typically consists of hydrogen and one other non-metal element.
3. Understand that binary acids are named using the prefix 'hydro-' followed by the root of the non-metal element and the suffix '-ic acid'.
4. Determine the root name for the non-metal element in HCN, which is 'cyan' derived from the cyanide ion (CN⁻).
5. Combine the prefix 'hydro-', the root 'cyan', and the suffix '-ic acid' to form the systematic name 'hydrocyanic acid'.