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?
- 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.
- They aid in keeping a track of the number of atoms, and distribution of electrical charges in the chemical reactions.
- Help in balancing the chemical equations to solve chemical problems associated with the conservation of electric charges, conservation of atoms etc.
- Chemical formulas are also a way to depict free radicals ions and numerous other chemical species.
- 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.