oh thanks
If you have CH4, does the 4 apply to both the C and H or only to the H?
It is the H that is four.
only the H
When we write the chemical formula for a compound like methane (CH4), the numbers that come after each element symbol indicate the number of atoms of that element in the compound. In this case, the number 4 applies only to the hydrogen (H) atoms.
To determine the number of atoms for each element in a compound, you need to understand the concept of chemical formulas. For example, in CH4, the letter C represents the element carbon, and the number 4 indicates that there are four carbon atoms in the compound. Similarly, the letter H represents the element hydrogen, and the number 4 indicates that there are four hydrogen atoms in the compound.
In this case, CH4, there is only one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. So, the number 4 applies solely to the hydrogen atoms, indicating that there are four hydrogen atoms bonded to the central carbon atom in the methane molecule.