SOME IMPORTANT FORMULAE

In this article, readers will be briefed about some important chemical formulas, the chemical formula of some important compounds, their characteristics and some important formulas of chemistry.

Chemical formula is a representation to provide data regarding how much proportion of atoms make up a specific molecule or chemical compound. It can be represented by using numbers, symbols of chemical elements and other different symbols like dashes, commas, brackets, parentheses and signs of either (+) plus or (-) minus. Compounds are pure substances comprising more than one variety of elements/atoms. The combination of all the particles is in a fixed proportion of mass. They can be separated into their constituent elements using physical and chemical methods. The following topics would throw light on the chemical formula of some important compounds, and some important formulas of chemistry.

SOME IMPORTANT CHEMICAL FORMULA

A chemical formula doesn’t contain any words, it is not a chemical name. A single typographic symbol line including superscripts and subscripts is used in chemical formulas. Some important formulas of chemistry. The three variations of the chemical formula include

  • Empirical formula: these formulas have numbers and letters, showing the proportions of each variety of atoms in numerical quantity. 
  • Molecular formula: there is no data on the structure of the chemical compound rather it represents the quantity/ number of each atom of different types in a molecule. A molecular formula shows whether it is a binary compound, tertiary compound, quaternary compound, or has even more elements.
  • Structural formula: it gives an overview of the atomic arrangement in the molecules of a chemical compound. 
  • For example, in the molecule of Glucose,

The empirical formula is written as CH2O: It has twice as many hydrogen (H) atoms as oxygen (O) and carbon (C).

Its molecular formula is written as C6H12O6 (six carbon, 12 hydrogen atoms, and six oxygen atoms).

  • Heptane has a molecular formula has C7H16. Structurally it can be represented as CH3CH2CH2CH2 CH2CH2CH3. It implies that it has a chain structure of 7 carbon atoms and 16 hydrogen atoms. However, the empirical formula for heptane is C7H16. 

HOW ARE CHEMICAL FORMULA REPRESENTATION HELPFUL?

  1. Chemical formula can be used to write chemical equations to describe various chemical reactions and different transformation reactions, for example, dissolution reactions of ionic compounds into solution. 
  2. They aid in keeping a track of the number of atoms, and distribution of electrical charges in the chemical reactions.
  3. Help in balancing the chemical equations to solve chemical problems associated with the conservation of electric charges, conservation of atoms etc.
  4. Chemical formulas are also a way to depict free radicals ions and numerous other chemical species.
  5. Chemical formulas are a way of representing the proportions and ratios in which each element combine to form the desirable compounds. 

CHEMICAL FORMULA OF SOME IMPORTANT COMPOUNDS

CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS

COMMON NAMES OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS

CHEMICAL FORMULA OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS

Sodium Bicarbonate

Baking Powder

NaHCO3

Calcium Oxychloride

Bleaching Powder

CaOCl2

Copper Sulfate

Blue Vitriol

CuSO4.5H2O

Potassium Hydroxide

Caustic Potash

KOH

Sodium Hydroxide

Caustic Soda

NaOH

Calcium Carbonate

Chalk (Marble)

CaCO3

Trichloro Methane

Chloroform

CHCl3

Solid Carbon Dioxide

Dry Ice

CO2

Magnesium Sulphate

Epsom

MgSO4

Ferrous Sulphate

Green Vitriol

FeSO4

Calcium Sulphate

Gypsum

CaSO4

Deuterium Oxide

Heavy Water

D2O

Nitrous Oxide

Laughing Gas

N2O

Magnesium Oxide

Magnesia

MgO

Methane

Marsh Gas

CH4

Ammonium Ferrous Sulphate

Mohr’s Salt

FeSO4(NH4)2SO4.6H2O

Calcium Sulphate

Plaster of Paris

CaSO42H2O

Potassium Aluminium Sulphate

Potash Alum

KAlSO4

Calcium Oxide

Quick Lime

CaO

Silicon Oxide

Sand

SiO2

Calcium Hydroxide

Slaked Lime

Ca(OH)2

Sucrose

Sugar

C12H22O11

Trinitrotoluene

T.N.T.

C7H5N3O6

Mercuric Sulphide

Vermelium

HgS

Acetic Acid

Vinegar

CH3COOH

Sodium Carbonate

Washing Soda

Na2CO3

Zinc Sulphate

White Vitriol

ZnSO4.7H2O

CONCLUSION

A chemical formula doesn’t contain any words, it is not a chemical name. The chemical compound can be depicted through various expressions, for example, empirical formula, structural formula and molecular formula. Insights and information about the elements that constitute a molecule of a particular compound can be obtained through the chemical formula. Furthermore, the compositions and exact proportions these atoms of the elements combine to make up a molecule can also be obtained through it. For example, the formula & chemical composition of sulphuric acid is H2SO4. This suggests that it takes two hydrogen atoms, one sulphur atom and four oxygen atoms to form one molecule of sulphuric acid.  

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