Molecules, Compounds, and Chemical Equations

Matter is made of elements, and elements are built from atoms. An atom is the smallest unit of an element that still keeps that element’s properties. A silver coin, for example, is made of silver atoms. Each atom keeps the unique properties of silver.

Elements are pure substances made of identical atoms. They cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical changes. Most elements are atomic elements, which use single atoms as their basic unit. Carbon and sodium are examples of atomic...

Molecular models help chemists and students visualize the structures and shapes of atoms and molecules. They represent the molecular architecture of chemical compounds in a way that is easier to study than formulas alone.

Skeletal models are simple two-dimensional drawings of compounds. They show the molecular framework, or the bonds, without drawing every atom. In this model, many carbon and hydrogen atoms are not shown directly. Their positions are implied by the ends and junctions of the...

Organic molecules are carbon-based compounds found in living things and in many everyday products. Most organic compounds have carbon as the main element, bonded to hydrogen and other carbon atoms. Some carbon-containing substances, such as carbonates, cyanides, and simple oxides like CO and CO2, are not classified as organic.

Carbon can form up to four strong bonds, which helps explain why organic compounds can make chains and rings of many sizes and shapes. These molecules appear in...

Chemical formula mass and percent composition help describe the makeup of compounds. A chemical formula shows which atoms are present and how many of each atom appear in a substance.

For covalent compounds, the formula shows the atoms in one molecule. That is why formula mass can also be called molecular mass. Chloroform, CHCl3, is one example. Its formula shows one carbon atom, one hydrogen atom, and three chlorine atoms. The molecular mass is the sum of their average atomic masses.

Ionic...

Chemical formulas show the elemental makeup of a compound. When a formula is unknown, scientists often start by measuring the masses of the elements in the sample. Those mass data are then used to find the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms, which gives the empirical formula.

To get from mass to atom ratio, the masses of the elements are first converted to moles using molar masses. Chemical formulas describe numbers of atoms, not masses, so this step is necessary. In one example, 1.71 grams...

Chemical equations show the identities and relative amounts of substances in a chemical reaction. The substances that react are called reactants, and their formulas are written on the left side of the equation. The substances formed are called products, and their formulas are written on the right side. A plus sign (+) separates formulas on the same side, and an arrow (→) shows the change from reactants to products.

The numbers in a chemical equation are shown with coefficients. A coefficient...