Question

Using the prefixes and rules that scientists use for naming compounds, what name would most likely be given to a compound that is made up of two atoms of oxygen and one atom of silicon?

a) Dioxide Silicon
b) Silicon Oxide
c) Silicium Dioxide
d) Oxy-Silicon

Answer 1

The compound with the formula SiO2, made up of one silicon and two oxygen atoms, is properly named 'silicon dioxide' according to the rules for naming covalent compounds.

Step-by-step explanation:

The compound made up of two atoms of oxygen and one atom of silicon is most likely named using the systematic naming rules for covalent compounds. According to the rules, we use the Greek prefixes to specify the number of atoms of each element when the compound is made up of nonmetals. Since we have two atoms of oxygen, we use the prefix 'di-' and combine it with the base name of the element oxygen, resulting in 'dioxide'. Silicon, being the more metallic element, is named first and since there's only one silicon atom, the prefix mono- is usually omitted. The silicon name remains unchanged. The combining of these parts gives us the compound name silicon dioxide, which aligns with option b) in the question. This is a common compound also known as silica, found in quartz and used in the manufacture of glass, silicon chips, and ceramics.