HMB203H1 Lecture Notes - Nitrogen, Iron(Iii) Chloride, Chlorate
Document Summary
A molecular compound is made up of discrete units called molecules, which typically consist of a small number of non-metal atoms held together by covalent bonds. Molecular compounds are represented by chemical formulas, symbolic representations that, at minimum, indicate: the elements present and the relative number of atoms of each element. Lack of subscript means 1 atoms of o per molecule. The empirical formula is the simplest formula for a compound where its subscripts are reduced to their simplest whole number ratios. Generally, the empirical formula does not tell one a significant about of information about a given compound. Acetic acid (c2h4o2) and glucose (c6h12o6) both have the empirical formula ch2o. The molecular formula is based on an actual molecule of a compound. In some cases, the empirical and molecular formulas are identical, such as formaldehyde (ch2o). In other cases, the molecular formula is a multiple of the empirical formula.
