Here's how it works:
* Elements: The chemical symbols of the elements present in the compound are listed.
* Subscripts: Numbers written as subscripts after the element symbol indicate the number of atoms of that element in one unit of the compound. If no subscript is written, it means there is one atom of that element.
Example:
* H₂O (Water)
* This formula shows that water is made up of hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O).
* There are two hydrogen atoms (H₂) and one oxygen atom (O) in each molecule of water.
Other examples:
* CO₂ (Carbon dioxide): 1 carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms
* NaCl (Sodium chloride): 1 sodium atom and 1 chlorine atom
* C₆H₁₂O₆ (Glucose): 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen atoms
Chemical formulas are a concise and powerful way to represent the composition of compounds.
