In the IUPAC name of a compound, the _______indicates the total number of carbon atoms present in the longest carbon chain belonging to the compound.

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

SSC CPO 2024 Official Paper-I (Held On: 28 Jun, 2024 Shift 2)

Answer 1

The correct answer is Root

Key Points

The Root in the IUPAC name of a compound indicates the total number of carbon atoms present in the longest carbon chain belonging to the compound.
In IUPAC nomenclature, the root name is derived from the number of carbon atoms in the longest continuous chain.
For example, "meth-" indicates one carbon atom, "eth-" indicates two, "prop-" indicates three, and so on.
The root is combined with prefixes and suffixes to give the complete IUPAC name of the compound.
Correct identification of the root is essential for naming organic compounds systematically.

Additional Information

IUPAC stands for International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, the organization responsible for standardizing chemical nomenclature.
The IUPAC system of nomenclature ensures that each compound has a unique and universally accepted name.
It helps chemists around the world communicate unambiguously about chemical compounds.
The IUPAC rules cover various types of organic compounds including alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and aromatic compounds.
The systematic approach of IUPAC naming helps in deducing the structure of the compound from its name.