What is the correct name for #Li_3N#?

2 Answers
Dec 6, 2016

Well, I'd call it #"lithium nitride"#.....

Explanation:

And how does it react with water?

Dec 6, 2016

Here's my thought process:

  • #"Li"# is lithium, and #"N"# is nitrogen.
  • #"Li"# is on the first column of the periodic table, and #"N"# is three columns away from the noble gases.

#=># #"Li"# is a metal and #"N"# is a nonmetal.
#=># #"Li"_3"N"# is anticipated to be an ionic compound, where #"Li"^(+)# is the cation and #"N"^(3-)# is the anion.

#=># The name of the anion, #"N"^(3-)#, will end in "-ide" and you will drop the "-ogen" to replace it with "-ide".

#=># Append "lithium" at the beginning, because lithium is the cation.

#=># Lithium nitride