Fill in the systematic names of the following chemical compounds

Fill in the systematic names of the following chemical compounds. Note: for compounds containing hydrogen, you may give the common name instead. 1. molecular formula name of compound XeF4 2. molecular formula name of compound Se4S4 3. molecular formula name of compound XeO 4. molecular formula name of compound SeS2 5. molecular formula name of compound NH3

The Correct Answer and Explanation is:

Molecular FormulaName of Compound
XeF₆Xenon hexafluoride
SeS₂Selenium disulfide
Se₄S₄Tetraselenium tetrasulfide
XeO₃Xenon trioxide
NH₃Ammonia (common name)

Explanation

Chemical nomenclature allows chemists to precisely identify compounds using standardized names. These names are often derived using Greek prefixes that indicate the number of atoms of each element in a molecule.

  1. XeF₆ – Xenon hexafluoride
    Xenon is a noble gas, but under certain conditions, it forms compounds, particularly with fluorine, the most electronegative element. The prefix “hexa-” indicates six fluorine atoms. Hence, the name is xenon hexafluoride.
  2. SeS₂ – Selenium disulfide
    This binary compound consists of one selenium atom and two sulfur atoms. We use the prefix “di-” for two. As selenium is less electronegative than sulfur, it is named first. The name is selenium disulfide.
  3. Se₄S₄ – Tetraselenium tetrasulfide
    This compound has four atoms of selenium and four atoms of sulfur. Using prefixes, “tetra-” means four, so the name becomes tetraselenium tetrasulfide.
  4. XeO₃ – Xenon trioxide
    Xenon again acts as the central atom here. There are three oxygen atoms, and “tri-” denotes three. Thus, the name is xenon trioxide. This is a notable xenon compound where xenon is in a +6 oxidation state.
  5. NH₃ – Ammonia
    Although its systematic name would be nitrogen trihydride, it is commonly known as ammonia, and the question allows common names for hydrogen-containing compounds. Hence, ammonia is acceptable and more commonly used in practice.

Understanding these naming conventions is crucial in chemistry to communicate molecular structures and compositions accurately.

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