Aluminum is a transition metal, woudn\'t the stock naming system apply to this formula?Aluminium has only one oxidation state i.e +3. Hence it does not matter whether we call it aluminium (iii) oxide or simply aluminium oxide. However copmare iron oxide. Here it could be FeO or Fe2O3 so we have to distinguish by indicating Iron (II) Oxide for FeO and Iron (III) oxide for Fe2O3.Aluminum oxide is best represented as Al2O3. Hope that helps.aluminium is not a transitional element its atomic number is 13 while transitional elements are in d -block (A) [ atomic no. 21 to 30 ( 3d elements), (B) atomic no. 39 to 48 [ 4d elements ] © atomic no. 57 to 80 [ 5d elements ] so aluminium forms only one oxide Al2 O3 [ so its name is simply aluminium oxide] while transitional elements show variable valencies [ different oxidation states] so their name is given according to oxidation state ] e . g. Fe O [ iron (II) oxide i.e. ferrous oxide ] Fe2 O3 [ iron (III) oxide i. e. ferric oxide ]For the best answers, search on this site okorder.comOther related question