state significance of molecular formula
Answers
Molecular formulas describe the exact number and type of atoms in a single molecule of a compound. The constituent elements are represented by their chemical symbols, and the number of atoms of each element present in each molecule is shown as a subscript following that element's symbol.
The molecular formula of a compound has
quantitative significance. It represents :
(i) both the molecule and the molecular mass of the compound
(ii) the respective numbers of different atoms present in one molecule of the compound.
(iii) the ratios of the respective masses of the elements present in the compound.
For example, the formula CO2 means that:
(i) the molecular formula of carbon dioxide is CO2;
(ii) each molecule contains one carbon atom joined by chemical bonds with two oxygen atoms;
(iii) the molecular mass of carbon dioxide is 44, given that the atomic mass of carbon is 12 and that of oxygen is 16.