Give the systematic name for the compound NaNO3 – Spell out the full name of the compound
The correct answer and explanation is :
The systematic name for the compound NaNO₃ is sodium nitrate.
Explanation:
The name “sodium nitrate” is based on systematic rules for naming ionic compounds, which follow conventions laid out by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).
1. Sodium (Na):
- The compound begins with Na, which is the symbol for sodium, an alkali metal in Group 1 of the periodic table.
- The name for the alkali metal Na in compounds is always “sodium,” which is a systematic name.
- Sodium forms a +1 cation (Na⁺), meaning it loses one electron to achieve a stable configuration.
2. Nitrate (NO₃):
- The second part of the compound comes from the anion, which in this case is NO₃⁻. This is the nitrate ion.
- Nitrate is a polyatomic ion consisting of one nitrogen (N) atom covalently bonded to three oxygen (O) atoms. It carries a -1 charge, which balances the +1 charge of the sodium ion.
- The name “nitrate” comes from the presence of nitrogen in the ion, which is a key feature in naming compounds involving nitrogen oxides.
3. Ionic Bonding:
- Sodium nitrate is an ionic compound. It forms when sodium (Na) ions bond with nitrate (NO₃⁻) ions through ionic bonding, where sodium donates an electron to achieve a stable electron configuration, while nitrate gains this electron to maintain its charge balance.
4. Naming Convention:
- In naming ionic compounds like sodium nitrate, the cation (positive ion) is named first, followed by the anion (negative ion). The name of the cation is simply the name of the metal, while the anion is typically named by adding the suffix “-ate” or “-ite” depending on the oxygen content and oxidation state of the central atom (in this case, nitrogen).
Thus, the full systematic name of NaNO₃ is sodium nitrate, and it is a widely used compound in fertilizers, food preservation, and as an oxidizing agent in various industrial processes.