A chemical formula or molecular formula is a way of expressing information about the atoms The atom is a basic unit of matter that consists of a dense, central nucleus surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons. The atomic nucleus contains a mix of positively charged protons and electrically neutral neutrons . The electrons of an atom are bound to the nucleus by the electromagnetic force. Likewise, a group of atoms can remain that constitute a particular chemical compound A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together in a defined spatial arrangement by chemical bonds.

The chemical formula identifies each constituent element A chemical element is a pure chemical substance consisting of one type of atom distinguished by its atomic number, which is the number of protons in its nucleus. The term is also used to refer to a pure chemical substance composed of atoms with the same number of protons. Common examples of elements are iron, copper, silver, gold, hydrogen, carbon, by its chemical symbol Chemical symbols may also be modified by the use of superscripts or subscripts to show a specific isotope of an atom. Additionally superscripts may be used to indicate the ionization or oxidation state of an element and indicates the number of atoms of each element found in each discrete molecule A molecule is defined as an electrically neutral group of at least two atoms in a definite arrangement held together by very strong chemical bonds. Molecules are distinguished from polyatomic ions in this strict sense. In organic chemistry and biochemistry, the term molecule is used less strictly and also is applied to charged organic molecules of that compound. If a molecule contains more than one atom of a particular element, this quantity is indicated using a subscript A subscript or superscript is a number, figure, symbol, or indicator that appears smaller than the normal line of type and is set slightly below or above it – subscripts appear at or below the baseline, while superscripts are above. Subscripts and superscripts are perhaps best known for their use in formulas, mathematical expressions, and after the chemical symbol (although 18th-century books often used superscripts) and also can be combined by more chemical elements. For example, methane Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula CH4. It is the simplest alkane, and the principal component of natural gas. Methane's bond angles are 109.5 degrees. Burning methane in the presence of oxygen produces carbon dioxide and water. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel. However, because it is a gas at, a small molecule consisting of one carbon Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. There are three naturally occurring isotopes, with 12C and 13C being stable, while 14C is radioactive, decaying with a half-life of atom and four hydrogen Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of 1.00794 u (1.007825 u for Hydrogen-1), hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75 % of the Universe's elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly composed of hydrogen in its atoms, has the chemical formula CH₄. The sugar Sugar is an informal term for a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose characterized by a sweet flavor. In food, sugar almost exclusively refers to sucrose, which primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet. Other sugars are used in industrial food preparation, but are usually known by more specific molecule glucose Glucose , a simple sugar (monosaccharide), is an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as a source of energy and a metabolic intermediate. Glucose is one of the main products of photosynthesis and starts cellular respiration. Starch and cellulose are polymers derived from the dehydration of glucose. The name "glucose" comes has six carbon atoms, twelve hydrogen atoms and six oxygen Oxygen (pronounced /ˈɒksɨdʒɨn/, OK-si-jin, from the Greek roots ὀξύς (acid, literally "sharp", from the taste of acids) and -γενής (-genēs) (producer, literally begetter), is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. It is a member of the chalcogen group on the periodic table, and is a highly atoms, so its chemical formula is C₆H₁₂O₆.

Chemical formulas may be used in chemical equations A chemical equation is symbolic representation of a chemical reaction where the reactant entities are given on the left hand side and the product entities on the right hand side. The coefficients next to the symbols and formulae of entities are the absolute values of the stoichiometric numbers. The first chemical equation was diagrammed by Jean to describe chemical reactions A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. Chemical reactions can be either spontaneous, requiring no input of energy, or non-spontaneous, often coming about only after the input of some type of energy, viz. heat, light or electricity. Classically, chemical reactions encompass. For ionic compounds In chemistry, an ionic compound is a chemical compound in which ions are held together in a lattice structure by ionic bonds. Usually, the positively charged portion consists of metal cations and the negatively charged portion is an anion or polyatomic ion. Ions in ionic compounds are held together by the electrostatic force between oppositely and other non-molecular substances an empirical formula In chemistry, the empirical formula of a chemical compound is the simplest whole number ratio of atoms of each element present in a compound. An empirical formula makes no reference to isomerism, structure, or absolute number of atoms. The empirical formula is used as standard for most ionic compounds, such as CaCl2, and for macromolecules, such may be used, in which the subscripts indicate the ratio of the elements.

The 19th-century Swedish chemist Jöns Jakob Berzelius Friherre Jöns Jacob Berzelius was a Swedish chemist. He worked out the modern technique of chemical formula notation, and is together with John Dalton, Antoine Lavoisier, and Robert Boyle considered a father of modern chemistry. He began his career as a physician but his researches in physical chemistry were of lasting significance in the worked out this system for writing chemical formulas.

Molecular geometry and structural formulas

The connectivity of a molecule often has a strong influence on its physical and chemical properties and behaviour. Two molecules composed of the same numbers of the same types of atoms (i.e. a pair of isomers In chemistry, isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formulas. The word is derived from the Greek ισομερης, isomerès; isos = "equal", méros = "part". There are many different classes of isomers, like stereoisomers, enantiomers, geometrical isomers, et cetera . Isomers do not) might have completely different chemical and/or physical properties if the atoms are connected differently or in different positions. In such cases, a structural formula The structural formula of a chemical compound is a graphical representation of the molecular structure, showing how the atoms are arranged. The chemical bonding within the molecule is also shown, either explicitly or implicitly. There are three common representations used in publications: text, Lewis type and line-angle formula. Also several other can be useful, as it illustrates which atoms are bonded to which other ones. From the connectivity, it is often possible to deduce the approximate shape of the molecule Molecular geometry or molecular structure is the three-dimensional arrangement of the atoms that constitute a molecule. It determines several properties of a substance including its reactivity, polarity, phase of matter, color, magnetism, and biological activity.

A chemical formula supplies information about the types and spatial arrangement of bonds A chemical bond is an attraction between atoms or molecules and allows the formation of chemical compounds, which contain two or more atoms. A chemical bond is the attraction caused by the electromagnetic force between opposing charges, either between electrons and nuclei, or as the result of a dipole attraction. The strength of bonds varies in the chemical, though it does not necessarily specify the exact isomer In chemistry, isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formulas. The word is derived from the Greek ισομερης, isomerès; isos = "equal", méros = "part". There are many different classes of isomers, like stereoisomers, enantiomers, geometrical isomers, et cetera . Isomers do not. For example ethane Ethane is a chemical compound with chemical formula C2H6. It is the only two-carbon alkane that is an aliphatic hydrocarbon. At standard temperature and pressure, ethane is a colorless, odorless gas consists of two carbon atoms single-bonded to each other, with each carbon atom having three hydrogen atoms bonded to it. Its chemical formula can be rendered as CH₃CH₃. In ethylene Ethylene is a gaseous organic compound with the formula C2H4. It is the simplest alkene (older name: olefin from its oil-forming property). Because it contains a carbon-carbon double bond, ethylene is classified as an unsaturated hydrocarbon. Ethylene is widely used in industry and also has a role in biology as a hormone. Ethylene is the most there is a double bond between the carbon atoms (and thus each carbon only has two hydrogens), therefore the chemical formula may be written: CH₂CH₂, and the fact that there is a double bond between the carbons is implicit because carbon has a valence of four. However, a more explicit method is to write H₂C=CH₂ or less commonly H₂C::CH₂. The two lines (or two pairs of dots) indicate that a double bond A covalent bond is a form of chemical bonding that is characterized by the sharing of pairs of electrons between atoms, and other covalent bonds. In short, the attraction-to-repulsion stability that forms between atoms when they share electrons is known as covalent bonding connects the atoms on either side of them.

A triple bond A triple bond in chemistry is a chemical bond between two chemical elements involving six bonding electrons instead of the usual two in a covalent single bond. The most common triple bond, that between two carbon atoms, can be found in alkynes. Other functional groups containing a triple bond are cyanides and isocyanides. Some diatomic molecules, may be expressed with three lines or pairs of dots, and if there may be ambiguity, a single line or pair of dots may be used to indicate a single bond.

Molecules with multiple functional groups In organic chemistry, functional groups are specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules. The same functional group will undergo the same or similar chemical reaction regardless of the size of the molecule it is a part of. However, its relative reactivity can be that are the same may be expressed by enclosing the repeated group in round brackets. For example isobutane Isobutane, also known as methylpropane or 2-methylpropane, is an alkane, isomeric with butane. It is the simplest alkane with a tertiary carbon. Recent concerns with depletion of the ozone layer by freon gases have led to increased use of isobutane as a gas for refrigeration systems, especially in domestic refrigerators and freezers, and as a may be written (CH₃)₃CH. This semi-structural formula implies a different connectivity from other molecules that can be formed using the same atoms in the same proportions (isomers). The formula (CH₃)₃CH implies a central carbon atom attached to one hydrogen atom and three CH₃ groups In chemistry, a methyl group is a hydrophobic alkyl functional group named after methane (C . The same number of atoms of each element (10 hydrogens and 4 carbons, or C₄H₁₀) may be used to make a straight chain molecule, butane Butane is a hydrocarbon with the formula C4H10, that is, an alkane with four carbon atoms. The term may refer to any of two structural isomers, or to a mixture of them: in the IUPAC nomenclature, however, butane refers only to the unbranched n-butane isomer; the other one being called "methylpropane": CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₃.

The alkene but-2-ene has two isomers which the chemical formula CH₃CH=CHCH₃ does not identify. The relative position of the two methyl groups must be indicated by additional notation denoting whether the methyl groups are on the same side of the double bond (cis or Z) or on the opposite sides from each other (trans or E).

Polymers

For polymers A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units typically connected by covalent chemical bonds. While polymer in popular usage suggests plastic, the term actually refers to a large class of natural and synthetic materials with a wide variety of properties, parentheses are placed around the repeating unit. For example, a hydrocarbon In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls. Aromatic hydrocarbons , alkanes, alkenes, cycloalkanes and alkyne-based compounds are different types of hydrocarbons molecule that is described as: CH₃(CH₂)₅₀CH₃, is a molecule with fifty repeating units. If the number of repeating units is unknown or variable, the letter n may be used to indicate this formula: CH₃(CH₂)_nCH₃. the letter n may be used to indicate this formula: CH₃(CH₂)_nCH₃.

Ions

For ions An ion is an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge, the charge on a particular atom may be denoted with a right-hand superscript. For example Na⁺, or Cu²⁺. The total charge on a charged molecule or a polyatomic ion A polyatomic ion, also known as a molecular ion, is a charged species composed of two or more atoms covalently bonded or of a metal complex that can be considered as acting as a single unit in the context of acid and base chemistry or in the formation of salts. The prefix poly- means many in Greek, but even ions of two atoms are commonly referred may also be shown in this way. For example: hydronium, H₃O⁺ or sulfate, SO₄²⁻.

For more complex ions, brackets [ ] are often used to enclose the ionic formula, as in [B₁₂H₁₂]²⁻, which is found in compounds such as Cs₂[B₁₂H₁₂]. Parentheses ( ) can be nested inside brackets to indicate a repeating unit, as in [Co(NH₃)₆]³⁺. Here (NH₃)₆ indicates that the ion contains six NH₃ groups In coordination chemistry, ammine complexes are metal complexes containing at least one ammonia ligand. "Ammine" is spelled this way due to historical reasons; in contrast, alkyl or aryl bearing ligands are spelled with a single "m", and [ ] encloses the entire formula of the ion with charge +3.

Isotopes

Although isotopes Isotopes are different types of atoms of the same chemical element, each having a different number of neutrons. In a corresponding manner, isotopes differ in mass number (or number of nucleons) but never in atomic number. The number of protons (the atomic number) is the same because that is what characterizes a chemical element. For example, are more relevant to nuclear chemistry After the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Röntgen, many scientists began to work on ionizing radiation. One of these was Henri Becquerel, who investigated the relationship between phosphorescence and the blackening of photographic plates. When Becquerel discovered that, with no external source of energy, the uranium generated rays which could or stable isotope Stable isotopes are chemical isotopes that are not radioactive . By this definition, there are 256 known stable isotopes of those 80 elements which have one or more stable nuclides. A list of these is given at the end of this article. Of these 80, twenty-six have only a single stable isotope, and are thus termed monoisotopic, and the rest have chemistry than to conventional chemistry, different isotopes may be indicated with a left-hand superscript A subscript or superscript is a number, figure, symbol, or indicator that appears smaller than the normal line of type and is set slightly below or above it – subscripts appear at or below the baseline, while superscripts are above. Subscripts and superscripts are perhaps best known for their use in formulas, mathematical expressions, and in a chemical formula. For example, the phosphate ion containing radioactive phosphorus-32 is ³²PO₄^3-. Also a study involving stable isotope ratios might include the molecule ¹⁸O¹⁶O.

A left-hand subscript is sometimes used redundantly to indicate the atomic number In chemistry and physics, the atomic number is the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom and therefore identical to the charge number of the nucleus. It is conventionally represented by the symbol Z. The atomic number uniquely identifies a chemical element. In an atom of neutral charge, the atomic number is also equal to the number of. For example, ₈O₂ for dioxygen, and ¹⁶₈O₂ for the most abundant isotopic species of dioxygen. This is convenient when writing equations for nuclear reactions In nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, a nuclear reaction is the process in which two nuclei or nuclear particles collide to produce products different from the initial particles. In principle a reaction can involve more than three particles colliding, but because the probability of three or more nuclei to meet at the same time at the same, in order to show the balance of charge more clearly.

Empirical formulas

In chemistry Chemistry is the science of matter and the changes it undergoes. The science of matter is also addressed by physics, but while physics takes a more general and fundamental approach, chemistry is more specialized, being concerned with the composition, behavior, structure, and properties of matter, as well as the changes it undergoes during chemical, the empirical formula In chemistry, the empirical formula of a chemical compound is the simplest whole number ratio of atoms of each element present in a compound. An empirical formula makes no reference to isomerism, structure, or absolute number of atoms. The empirical formula is used as standard for most ionic compounds, such as CaCl2, and for macromolecules, such of a chemical is a simple expression of the relative number of each type of atom or ratio of the elements in the compound. Empirical formulas are the standard for ionic compounds, such as CaCl₂, and for macromolecules, such as SiO₂. An empirical formula makes no reference to isomerism In chemistry, isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formulas. The word is derived from the Greek ισομερης, isomerès; isos = "equal", méros = "part". There are many different classes of isomers, like stereoisomers, enantiomers, geometrical isomers, et cetera . Isomers do not, structure, or absolute number of atoms. The term empirical refers to the process of elemental analysis Elemental analysis is a process where a sample of some material is analyzed for its elemental and sometimes isotopic composition. Elemental analysis can be qualitative (determining what elements are present), and it can be quantitative (determining how much of each are present). Elemental analysis falls within the ambit of analytical chemistry,, a technique of analytical chemistry Analytical chemistry is the study of the separation, identification, and quantification of the chemical components of natural and artificial materials. Qualitative analysis gives an indication of the identity of the chemical species in the sample and quantitative analysis determines the amount of one or more of these components. The separation of used to determine the relative percent composition of a pure chemical substance by element.

For example hexane Hexane is a hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C6H14; that is, an alkane with six carbon atoms has a molecular formula of C₆H₁₄, or structurally CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃, implying that it has a chain structure of 6 carbon atoms, and 14 hydrogen atoms. However, the empirical formula for hexane is C₃H₇. Likewise the empirical formula for hydrogen peroxide, H₂O₂, is simply HO expressing the 1:1 ratio of component elements. Formaldehyde and acetic acid have the same empirical formula, CH₂O. This is the actual chemical formula for formaldehyde, but acetic acid has double the number of atoms.

Trapped atoms

The @ symbol ("at") indicates an atom or molecule trapped inside a cage but not chemically bound to it. This notation became popular in the 1990s with the discovery of fullerene cages, which can trap atoms such as La to form La@C₆₀ or La@C₈₂ for example. A non-fullerene example is [As@Ni₁₂As₂₀]^3-, an ion in which one As atom is trapped in a cage formed by the other 32 atoms.

Non-stoichiometric formulas

Main article: Non-stoichiometric compound

Chemical formulas most often use integers for each element. However, there is a whole class of compounds, called non-stoichiometric compounds, that cannot be represented by small integers. Such a formula might be written using decimal fractions, as in Fe_0.95O, or it might include a variable part represented by a letter, as in Fe_1–xO, where x is normally much less than 1.

General forms for organic compounds

Chemical formula used for a series of compounds that differ from each other by a constant unit is called general formula. Such a series is called the homologous series, while its members are called homologs.

Hill System

The Hill system is a system of writing chemical formulas such that the number of carbon atoms in a molecule is indicated first, the number of hydrogen atoms next, and then the number of all other chemical elements subsequently, in alphabetical order. When the formula contains no carbon, all the elements, including hydrogen, are listed alphabetically. This deterministic system enables straightforward sorting and searching of compounds.

See also

• Empirical formula
• Structural formula
• Dictionary of chemical formulas
• Dictionary of chemical formulas/Merge
• Element symbol
• Nuclear notation
• Periodic table

References

• Ralph S. Petrucci, William S. Harwood and F. Geoffrey Herring, General Chemistry, 8th Edition (Prentice-Hall 2002), chapter 3.

Categories: Chemical nomenclature | Chemical formulas | Notation

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