Question

What is the compound MnCl2 called?

Answer 1

Answer is Manganese(ii) chloride

To answer this, you need to know the charges for both Mn and Cl

Mn is in the transition metal category and is unique with having 3 levels of charges

manganese - MN

Manganese(ii) - Mn^2+

Manganese(iii) - Mn^3+

Cl is a nonmetal with the standard charge of Cl^-1

Since you have two charges that don't cancel out, they get switched.

So Cl would receive a positive 2. Because it was a positive 2, we can assume that it starts with Manganese(ii). Then we add chloride to the end of it as it ends with Cl.