Here's a breakdown:
* Formula: The chemical formula of a compound tells you the types of atoms present and their ratio in the molecule. For example, H₂O tells us that water has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
* Atomic Mass: Each element has a specific atomic mass (the mass of one atom). You can find these on the periodic table.
* Molecular Mass: To find the molecular mass, you multiply the atomic mass of each element by its subscript in the formula and add the results. For example, the molecular mass of water (H₂O) is: (2 * 1.01 amu) + (1 * 16.00 amu) = 18.02 amu.
In short, the formula defines the composition of the molecule, and the molecular mass is the result of adding up the masses of all the atoms in that specific arrangement.
