Reading Chemical Formulas

• Compounds - Contain more than one element

• ​Element - a pure substance with one type of element

• ​Molecule - More than one of the same type of element bonded together

• ​What are they?

  • ​A chemical formula is a description of the number and kind of atoms found in a single molecule of a substance, using the symbol for each element and a subscript number to state the number of atoms of the element to the left of the subscript.

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  • ​Or...

    • ​They tell us what elements are used

    • ​How many elements are present

    • ​They help us identify substances

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• ​Tells us how many individual atoms there are in a chemical formula

• ​They are the smaller numbers that are behind an element

• ​INDIVIDUAL ATOMS

• ​ Coefficients are the LARGER NUMBERS in front of the element/compound

• ​They tell us how many compounds or elements there are in a chemical formula

• ​ The only math you will be doing is multiplication and some addition

• ​I recommend having a calculator out if needed

• ​How do we find the total number of atoms?

• First, pick an element Let's start with Nitrogen (N)

• ​Both Hydrogen atoms have a Coefficient and a Subscript

• ​Any ideas???

• ​Both Hydrogen atoms have a Coefficient and a Subscript

• ​Any ideas???

• ​You multiply the Subscript with the Coefficient

​Reactants are ALWAYS on the LEFT side of the arrow

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​Products are ALWAYS on the RIGHT side of the arrow

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​Reactants react to produce products!

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