Question

Distinguish between molecular and structural formula for a given molecule

Answer 1

Molecular formula- It is a chemical formula which gives the number and kind of atoms in a molecule.Example: molecular formula of methane is CH4.

General formula – It represents the chemical formula for a class of compounds where the numbers can be represented by n,x etc. and the organic radicals as Rn.Example: general formula for alkanes is CnH2n+2

Structural formula: It is a chemical formula which shows the arrangement of atoms in a molecule wherein the atoms are shown by symbols and the position of atoms and bonds between them are indicated.Example: structural formula for propane is CH3-CH2-CH3