Chemical Formulas

Chemical compounds are substances composed of two or more elements in specific proportions. To accurately describe these compounds chemical formulas were developed. 

The chemical formula provides information about the elements and the number of ions or atoms involved. Elements are depicted by their chemical symbol, while the relative number of ions or atoms is indicated with a subscript number. 

For example, table sugar or sucrose is a compound containing the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen – represented using their symbols C, H, and O. The numbers 12, 22, and 11 indicate the total numbers of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms present within the compound.

In general, elements are not listed in alphabetical order, but rather starting with more positively charged, or metallic elements, followed by more negatively charged, or less metallic elements, like potassium hydroxide. 

Chemical formulas are categorized as molecular, empirical, and structural.

Molecular formulas describe a compound by listing each element and the exact number of atoms present. The molecular formula of glucose is C₆H₁₂O₆, meaning glucose is composed of six carbon, twelve hydrogen, and six oxygen atoms.

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