The correct name for the compound HCl is hydrochloric acid.
Hydrochloric acid is a strong, corrosive acid that is commonly used in various industrial processes, as well as in laboratory settings. When HCl is dissolved in water, it ionizes completely, releasing hydrogen ions (H+) and chloride ions (Cl–). This property makes it an important chemical in many reactions, especially in pH regulation and cleaning processes.
In naming acids, if the compound contains a hydrogen ion and a non-metal, like chlorine in this case, it is typically named by taking the root of the non-metal name and adding the suffix “-ic” along with the word ‘acid’. Therefore, Cl becomes hydrochloric when hydrogen is added.