9/3 Chemical Formulas

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What is a chemical formula?

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A chemical formula is a way of expressing the composition of a chemical compound using symbols for the elements and numbers to indicate the quantity of each element.

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What is an element?

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An element is a pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. Elements are listed on the periodic table.

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What is a compound?

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A compound is a substance formed when two or more elements are chemically bonded together in a fixed ratio.

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What does H2SO4 represent?

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H2SO4 represents sulfuric acid, a strong acid composed of 2 hydrogen atoms, 1 sulfur atom, and 4 oxygen atoms.

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How many atoms are in a molecule of C6H12O6?

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A molecule of C6H12O6 (glucose) contains 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen atoms.

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What is the significance of subscripts in chemical formulas?

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Subscripts in chemical formulas indicate the number of atoms of each element in a molecule. For example, in H2O, the '2' indicates there are 2 hydrogen atoms.

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What is the formula for water?

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The formula for water is H2O, which indicates it is made up of 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.

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How many oxygen atoms are in H2SO4?

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There are 4 oxygen atoms in a molecule of sulfuric acid (H2SO4).

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What elements are present in NaCl?

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NaCl (sodium chloride) is composed of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl).

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What is the difference between an element and a compound?

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An element is a single type of atom, while a compound consists of two or more different types of atoms chemically bonded together.