Question

a certain covalent compound is named sulfur hexafluoride. whats the chemical formula for this compound?
a) f₆s₂
b) f₆s
c) s₂f₆
d) sf₆

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze the prefixes in the name

For covalent compounds, the prefixes indicate the number of atoms. "Sulfur" has no prefix, so there is 1 sulfur atom (S). "Hexafluoride" has the prefix "hexa-", which means 6, so there are 6 fluorine atoms (F).

Step2: Write the chemical formula

The formula is written with the first element (sulfur) followed by the second element (fluorine) with their respective subscripts. So it is \( SF_6 \).

Answer:

D) \( SF_6 \)