Chemistry :mod 2

• Chemical formula

  Shorthand of expressing the types and the number of atoms present in a substance
• Chemical formula

  • Represents a compound or substance
  • Is a symbolic expression
• Chemical symbol


  An abbreviation that represents the name of an element
• Subscript


  A small number written at the lower right corner of a chemical symbol
• Interpreting a chemical formula

  1. Determine the types of atoms

  2. Determine the number of each atom

  3. Identify the central atom if not a diatomic molecule
• Chemical formula is shorthand for expressing the types and number of atoms in a substance
• The first chemical symbol in a formula represents the central atom
• The subscript represents the number of atoms of that element
• If no subscript is present, it is assumed there is 1 atom of that element
• Chemical symbols are abbreviations that represent the name of an element
• Chemical formula provides information about the composition and characteristics of a substance
• Knowing common chemical formulas helps understand information on product labels
• Familiarization with chemical formulas can help avoid dangers or misuse of products