do you HAVE to put prefixes if they're both NEGATIVE?

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do you HAVE to put prefixes if they're both NEGATIVE?

like - PCl3

They both have negative charge. So you have to put the prefixes instead of balancing them right?

2006-09-24 17:11:09 · 2 answers · asked by gogogo 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry

Doesnt P have -3 AND +5? when is the condition to use +5?

2006-09-24 17:23:18 · update #1

2 answers

For the sake of simplicity, the first element in a binary formula is considered to be "positive", and the second "negative".

Phosphorus is multivalent - so prefixes must be included in the name of the compound.

PCl3 is phosphorus trichloride
PCl5 would be phosphorus pentachloride

2006-09-25 11:24:13 · answer #1 · answered by wibblytums 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋

The P is +3 in this case.

2006-09-24 17:12:42 · answer #2 · answered by special-chemical-x 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋