To determine the correct chemical formula for silicon tetrachloride, let's break down the name of the compound and understand how chemical nomenclature works.
1. Name Analysis:
- "Silicon" refers to the element silicon, which is represented by the symbol Si.
- "Tetrachloride" indicates the presence of chlorine atoms, with the prefix "tetra-" meaning four. Therefore, the compound contains four chlorine atoms.
2. Chemical Symbol Representation:
- The element silicon is represented by the symbol Si.
- The element chlorine is represented by the symbol Cl.
- Since "tetrachloride" indicates four chlorine atoms, we use Cl₄ to denote the four chlorine atoms attached to a single silicon atom.
Putting it all together, the chemical formula for silicon tetrachloride is SiCl₄.
Reviewing our options:
A. Si₄Cl₄ - This suggests four silicon atoms and four chlorine atoms, which is incorrect.
B. SiCl₄ - This suggests one silicon atom combined with four chlorine atoms, which matches our analysis.
C. SiCl - This suggests one silicon atom and one chlorine atom, which does not match the requirement for four chlorine atoms.
D. Si₄Cl - This suggests four silicon atoms and one chlorine atom, which is incorrect.
Therefore, the correct choice is B: SiCl₄.
