the correct name for the compound H2Te is
hydrogen telluride
dihydrogen telluride
dihydrogen monotelluide
hydrogen monotelluride
please explain why. I am having a very hard time comprehending this stuff.
Thanks
This is named hydrogen telluride. If you answered this in my class as dihydrogen telluride I probably would give you credit for it (because it is an unambiguous name) but I don't think that is the IUPAC official name.
To determine the correct name for the compound H2Te, we need to understand a few concepts and rules.
Firstly, let's break down the compound H2Te. The "H2" indicates that there are two hydrogen atoms, and the "Te" represents the element tellurium.
Based on the rules for naming binary compounds, we can form compounds between two nonmetals by using prefixes to indicate the number of each element present. These prefixes are as follows:
- Mono-: Used only when there is one atom of the first element in the compound.
- Di-: Denotes two atoms of the first element.
- Tri-: Indicates three atoms of the first element.
- Tetra-: Represents four atoms of the first element.
- Penta-: Indicates five atoms of the first element.
- Hexa-: Represents six atoms of the first element.
- Hepta-: Indicates seven atoms of the first element.
- Octa-: Represents eight atoms of the first element.
- Nona-: Indicates nine atoms of the first element.
- Deca-: Represents ten atoms of the first element.
Now, let's apply these rules to the compound H2Te:
- "Hydrogen telluride" cannot be the correct name because it doesn't use any prefixes to indicate the number of hydrogen atoms present. The use of prefixes is crucial in this case.
- "Dihydrogen telluride" follows the naming rules correctly. The prefix "di-" indicates two hydrogen atoms, and "telluride" represents the element tellurium.
- "Dihydrogen monotelluide" is not the correct name because the prefix "mono-" is unnecessary in this case. The use of prefixes is only required when there are more than one atom of the first element.
- "Hydrogen monotelluride" is also not the correct name because it doesn't use any prefixes to indicate the number of hydrogen atoms present.
Therefore, the correct name for the compound H2Te is "dihydrogen telluride."
Understanding naming compounds can be challenging, especially if you are new to chemistry. It's important to study and familiarize yourself with the naming rules, prefixes, and elements' names. Practice exercises and examples can also help enhance comprehension.