Question

True or false if the name of the anion of an oxyacid ends in -ate, the acid name contains the suffix -ous

Answer 1

If the name of the anion of an oxyacid ends in -ate, the acid name contains the suffix -ous is False.

Explanation:

If the name of the anion of an oxyacid ends in -ate, the suffix containing the acid name depends on the number of the oxygen atoms. According to IUPAC, the chemical nomenclature states that if the name of the anion of an oxyacid ends with -ate as a suffix, then the name of the oxyacid will contain the suffix either -ous or -ic.

If the compound containing the anion in which hydrogen atoms bonded with oxygen atom contains less number of oxygen atoms in its sphere, then the oxyacid will contain -ous as its suffix. And if the number of the oxygen atoms is more then the oxyacid will contain -ic as its suffix.

For eg- $H_2SO_4\ and\ H_2SO_3$

Sulphuric acid has -ic as its suffix because of more number of oxygen atoms whereas sulfurous acid has -ous as its suffix because of less number of oxygen atoms.