Here's a breakdown:
* H: Represents the element hydrogen.
* S: Represents the element sulfur.
* O: Represents the element oxygen.
* 2: Indicates there are two hydrogen atoms in the molecule.
* 4: Indicates there are four oxygen atoms in the molecule.
Therefore, H₂SO₄ tells us that sulfuric acid is made up of two hydrogen atoms, one sulfur atom, and four oxygen atoms bonded together.