What is the name of the covalent compound n2o5?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The covalent compound ( \text{N}_2\text{O}_5 ) is named dinitrogen pentoxide.
Explanation:
To understand this name, we break it down into two parts: the elements involved and the prefixes used to indicate the number of atoms.
- Elements Involved:
- Nitrogen (N): This is the first element in the compound, and it is present in two atoms, as indicated by the subscript “2”.
- Oxygen (O): This is the second element in the compound, and it is present in five atoms, as indicated by the subscript “5”.
- Naming Rules:
- In naming covalent compounds, we use prefixes to indicate the number of atoms of each element in the compound. These prefixes are as follows:
- “mono-” = 1
- “di-” = 2
- “tri-” = 3
- “tetra-” = 4
- “penta-” = 5
- “hexa-” = 6, and so on.
- For dinitrogen, “di-” indicates two nitrogen atoms.
- For pentoxide, “penta-” indicates five oxygen atoms. The “-ide” suffix is used for the second element (oxygen in this case).
- Structure of ( \text{N}_2\text{O}_5 ):
- Dinitrogen pentoxide is a molecular compound with two nitrogen atoms and five oxygen atoms. It is commonly known as an oxidizing agent and exists as a white solid at room temperature. It is used in various industrial processes, including the production of nitric acid.
- Physical Properties:
- Dinitrogen pentoxide is typically unstable and decomposes into nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and oxygen (O₂) when heated.
Thus, the systematic name dinitrogen pentoxide directly corresponds to the molecular composition and follows standard rules for naming covalent compounds.