Question

How do you name the binary molecular compound $N{I}_3$ ?

Answer 1

Hint The answer is based on the general chemistry concept that deals with the naming of the chemical compounds based on the prefixes like mono, di tri etc for single, double and triple atoms respectively. This concept will give you the required answer.

Complete step – by – step answer:
From the chapters of general chemistry, we have studied the topic that tells us about writing the molecular formula of a compound, writing the molecular name of the compound and also some of the common names given to those compounds.
Let us see in detail about what a binary molecule means and how can that be given a name.
- Binary molecules are those compounds that are composed of two elements in it. Usually, the elements which combine to form a binary compound are both non metal atoms.
- Molecular names of the compounds are given based on the molecular formula data and the naming includes the prefixes mono, di, tri etc. for the compounds that are having more than one same atom.
- The names are also based on the atoms present and then adding the necessary ending terms such as ‘ide’, ‘ate’, ‘ic’ etc. accordingly.
Now, in the above given formula that is $N{I}_3$ , there is one nitrogen atom and three iodine atoms. Iodine are the electronegative atoms.
- This compound therefore, can be named as Nitrogen triiodide.
Sometimes the name of the compounds may not be exactly according to the total number of atoms present like in the above compound, the name cannot be given as mono nitro triiodide rather name is in the simplified form.

Note: Note that the names of the molecular compounds can also be written along with the representation of the oxidation state of the central atom and in the above case, the name can also be written as nitrogen (III) iodide because the central atom has +3 oxidation state.