Question

What is the main difference between the nomenclature systems in place for IONIC compounds vs. COVALENT compounds?

A. Ionic compounds use Roman numerals, while covalent compounds use prefixes.
B. Ionic compounds use prefixes, while covalent compounds use Roman numerals.
C. Both ionic and covalent compounds use the same nomenclature system.
D. The nomenclature system depends on the state of matter of the compound.

Answer 1

The main difference between the nomenclature systems for ionic and covalent compounds lies in their naming conventions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main difference between the nomenclature systems for ionic compounds and covalent compounds lies in their naming conventions. Ionic compounds are named by writing the name of the metal first, followed by the name of the nonmetal with its ending changed to -ide. If the metal can form ions with different charges, a Roman numeral in parentheses is used to indicate the charge. On the other hand, covalent compounds are named by listing the elements in the order they appear in the formula, with prefixes used to indicate the number of atoms of each element.