What is the root name for a hydrocarbon chain with nine carbon atoms?

The root name for a hydrocarbon chain is derived from the number of carbon atoms present in the longest continuous chain. For a hydrocarbon chain with nine carbon atoms, the appropriate root name is "non-." This nomenclature is established according to the IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) naming conventions.

Specifically, the prefixes used for naming hydrocarbons reflect the number of carbon atoms in the chain as follows:

• "Meth-" refers to one carbon.
• "Eth-" refers to two carbons.
• "Prop-" refers to three carbons.
• "But-" refers to four carbons.
• "Pent-" refers to five carbons.
• "Hex-" refers to six carbons.
• "Hept-" refers to seven carbons.
• "Oct-" refers to eight carbons.
• "Non-" refers to nine carbons.
• "Dec-" refers to ten carbons.

Therefore, for a hydrocarbon with nine carbon atoms, using "non-" is accurate and aligns with established chemical naming conventions.