what two piece of information does a formula for a molecule provide?
A formula for a molecule provides the information about the types and numbers of atoms that are present in the molecule.
A formula for a molecule provides two essential pieces of information:
1. Elemental Composition: The molecular formula indicates the types and quantity of atoms present in the molecule. It tells you the elements that make up the compound and their relative numbers. For example, H2O represents water, where "H" stands for hydrogen and "O" stands for oxygen. This formula tells us that water consists of 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.
2. Structural Information: In some cases, the molecular formula also provides information about the arrangement or structure of atoms within the molecule. For example, the molecular formula C6H12O6 represents glucose, a common sugar molecule. This formula alone does not reveal the specific arrangement of atoms, but it indicates that the molecule contains 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen atoms, which gives clues about the possible structure.