The name for PCl5

Question

is Phosphorus pentachloride but the name for VCl5
is Vanadium (V) chloride. Which statement best explains the difference in the names for these two compounds?(1 point)
Responses

Chlorine can always bond in 5 places so they should be named the same.
Chlorine can always bond in 5 places so they should be named the same.

Vanadium and chlorine form a covalent bond so we use Roman numerals in the name, but two nonmetals form an ionic bond so we use the prefix system for phosphorus and chlorine.
Vanadium and chlorine form a covalent bond so we use Roman numerals in the name, but two nonmetals form an ionic bond so we use the prefix system for phosphorus and chlorine.

Vanadium is a transition metal with multiple ions so we use the Roman numeral in the name for the ionic salt while phosphorus and chlorine are both nonmetals so we use the prefix system to name covalent molecules.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

Vanadium is a transition metal with multiple ions so we use the Roman numeral in the name for the ionic salt while phosphorus and chlorine are both nonmetals so we use the prefix system to name covalent molecules.

This statement accurately explains the difference in naming conventions. Vanadium, being a transition metal, can form cations with different charges, which is why a Roman numeral is used to indicate its oxidation state in the name (Vanadium (V) chloride). In contrast, phosphorus and chlorine are both nonmetals, and when they form covalent compounds like PCl5, prefixes are used to denote the number of atoms.