Chapter 2

The simplest hydrogen compound of phosphorus is phosphine, a highly flammable and poisonous compound with an odor of decaying fish. What is the formula for phosphine?

Astatine, a member of the halogen family, forms a compound with hydrogen. Predict its chemical formula.

Write the chemical formulas for (a) methane, (b) ethane, (c) propane, and (d) butane. Give one practical use for each of these hydrocarbons.

What are the formulas for (a) methanol and (b) ethanol?

What is the formula for the alkane decane, which has 10 carbon atoms?

Candle wax is a mixture of hydrocarbons, one of which is an alkane with 23 carbon atoms. What is the formula for this hydrocarbon?

The formula for a compound is correctly given as \(\mathrm{C}_{6} \mathrm{H}_{12} \mathrm{O}_{6}\). State two reasons why we expect this to be a molecular compound, rather than an ionic compound.

What is the difference between a binary compound and one that is diatomic? Give examples that illustrate this difference.

Describe (a) the three situations in which Greek prefixes are used and (b) when Roman numerals are used.

The compound \(\mathrm{Cr}\left(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{3} \mathrm{O}_{2}\right)_{3}\) is used in the tanning of leather. How many atoms of each element are given in this formula?