Counting Atoms in Chemical Formulas

Front

What is a subscript in a chemical formula?

Back

A subscript is a number found on the lower right-hand side of an element symbol that indicates the number of atoms of that element in a molecule.

Front

How many atoms of Hydrogen are in H₂O?

Back

2

Front

What does the formula H₂SO₄ represent?

Back

It represents sulfuric acid, which contains 2 hydrogen atoms, 1 sulfur atom, and 4 oxygen atoms.

Front

In the formula C₃H₅(NO₃)₃, how many nitrogen atoms are present?

Back

3 nitrogen atoms.

Front

What is the total number of oxygen atoms in C₃H₅(NO₃)₃?

Back

9 oxygen atoms.

Front

How many different elements are present in the molecule 3 NH₄C₂H₃O₂?

Back

4 different elements: Nitrogen (N), Hydrogen (H), Carbon (C), and Oxygen (O).

Front

What is the coefficient in a chemical formula?

Back

A coefficient is a number placed in front of a chemical formula that indicates how many molecules or moles of that substance are present.

Front

What is the difference between a subscript and a coefficient?

Back

A subscript indicates the number of atoms of an element in a molecule, while a coefficient indicates the number of molecules.

Front

How do you determine the number of atoms in a compound?

Back

Count the number of each element's atoms indicated by the subscripts in the chemical formula.

Front

What is the chemical formula for water?

Back

H₂O.