What is the number placed below an element’s symbol in a chemical formula called?
a subscript
a coefficient
a product
a reactant
a subscript
The number placed below an element's symbol in a chemical formula is called a subscript.
The number placed below an element's symbol in a chemical formula is called a subscript.
To understand why it is called a subscript, let's first explain what a chemical formula is. A chemical formula represents the composition of a substance using symbols for the elements present in it. The subscripts in a chemical formula indicate the number of atoms of each element present in the compound.
For example, in the chemical formula H2O, the subscript 2 indicates that there are two atoms of hydrogen (H) bonded to one atom of oxygen (O).
It is important to note that a subscript only affects the element immediately preceding it. In the chemical formula CH4, the subscript 4 indicates that there are four hydrogen atoms bonded to one carbon atom.
By using subscripts in chemical formulas, we can accurately represent the ratio of elements present in a compound.