What is the general formula for hydrohalic acids?

Prepare for the IGCSE Chemistry Exam with our comprehensive quiz. Practice with multiple choice questions and detailed explanations to boost your understanding. Excel in your examination journey!

The general formula for hydrohalic acids is represented as HX, where H stands for the hydrogen atom and X represents a halogen atom (such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine). This formula indicates that each hydrohalic acid consists of one hydrogen atom covalently bonded to one halogen atom.

Hydrohalic acids include common examples such as hydrochloric acid (HCl), hydrobromic acid (HBr), and hydrofluoric acid (HF). The simplicity of the HX structure allows for straightforward representation of these strong acids that typically dissociate completely in aqueous solutions to yield H⁺ ions and halide ions (X⁻).

The other options represent different formulas that do not accurately reflect the composition of hydrohalic acids. For instance, H₂X suggests a compound with two hydrogen atoms bonded to one halogen, which characterizes other types of acids known as polybasic acids rather than hydrohalic acids. HN and H₂X₂ do not portray the correct number of hydrogen and halogen atoms for hydrohalic acids either, as they imply different chemical species with distinct bonding arrangements.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy