How does a complete structural formula differ from a condensed structural formula?
A condensed formula is CH3CH2CH3
A complete structural formula has the Cs hooked as in C-C-C with bonds off each C and attached to a H atom.
A complete structural formula is a way to represent a molecule that shows all the atoms and bonds in the molecule. It explicitly shows the connectivity of the atoms and the arrangement of the bonds. On the other hand, a condensed structural formula is a simplified version of the complete structural formula where the carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms are shown explicitly, while other atoms are represented by their atomic symbols.
To understand the difference between the two, let's take an example of ethanol, which is commonly known as drinking alcohol. The molecular formula of ethanol is C2H6O.
In a complete structural formula, the molecule is shown as:
H H
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C - C - O - H
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H H
Here, all the atoms (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) are shown explicitly along with the bonds between them.
In a condensed structural formula, the molecule is shown as:
CH3CH2OH
In the condensed structural formula, the carbon atoms are written in a row, representing the bond between them. The hydrogen and oxygen atoms are written after the respective carbon atom to which they are attached.
So, the condensed structural formula provides a concise representation of a molecule by writing the carbon and hydrogen atoms in a row, while the complete structural formula shows all the atoms and bonds in a molecule.
To get the complete structural formula from a condensed structural formula, you need to have an understanding of organic chemistry and the rules for connecting atoms and representing bonds. By using this knowledge, you can recreate the structural formula by adding all the missing atoms and bonds based on the information provided in the condensed structural formula.