The discussion centers around the nomenclature of the compound CaH2, specifically whether it should be referred to as calcium hydride or calcium dihydride. The scope includes conceptual clarification regarding chemical naming conventions and the implications of ionic compound nomenclature.
Participants generally agree that both "calcium hydride" and "calcium dihydride" are acceptable terms, but there is some debate about the necessity of using prefixes in the context of ionic compounds.
The discussion does not resolve whether one term is preferred over the other in formal contexts, nor does it clarify the implications of IUPAC naming conventions fully.
Ygggdrasil said:Generally for ionic substances (usually substances formed between a metal and non-metal), you don't need to use the mono-, di-, tri- etc. prefixes to specify number. This is because most ions have a specific charge (or for transition metals, the charge is specified), so one can figure out the correct proportion of cations and anions.