Final answer:
The correct name for the compound with the formula HClO4 is perchloric acid, as it denotes the presence of the most oxygen atoms in the series of chlorine-containing oxyacids.
Step-by-step explanation:
The formula HClO4 is named perchloric acid. This is because the naming conventions for oxyacids dictate that if the acid contains the most oxygen in the series, the prefix 'per-' is added to the root name of the anion, and the ending '-ic' is appended followed by the word 'acid'. In the case of HClO4, 'perchloric' comes from 'perchlorate', which is the name of the anion ClO4-. As such, the correct name is perchloric acid, indicating it has one more oxygen than chloric acid (HClO3), and it is distinguished from other acids containing chlorine, such as hypochlorous acid (HClO), chlorous acid (HClO2), and hydrochloric acid (HCl).