What would be the formula for diphosphorus pentoxide?

2 Answers
anor277
May 11, 2016

#P_2O_5# as written, but this is an empirical formula.

Explanation:

#P_2O_5# is of course an empirical formula. The actual oxide is #P_4O_10#, with an adamantane structure.

Truong-Son N.
May 11, 2016

Here's my thought process:

  • From name: phosphorus #-># #"P"#
  • "di" #-># #2#
  • From name: oxide #-># #"O"#
  • Anion stem: "ox"
  • "pent" (instead of "penta", since "ox" starts with a vowel) #-># #5#

#-># #"P"_2"O"_5# (empirical formula)

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