A chemical formula is defined as a collection of chemical symbol that is used to show the elements present in any compound and its proportion. Before we foray into the area of writing a chemical formula, we must acquaint ourselves with the basics of chemical formulae. Let us proceed further!

In order to illustrate chemical reactions and the elements and compounds involved in them, chemists use symbols and formulas. A chemical symbol is a one-or two-letter designation of an element. Some examples of chemical symbols are ""O"" for oxygen, ""Zn"" for zinc, and ""Fe"" for iron. The first letter of a symbol is always capitalized. If the symbol contains two letters, the second letter is lower case. The majority of elements have symbols that are based on their English names.

Compounds are combinations of two or more elements. A chemical formula is an expression that shows the elements in a compound and the relative proportions of those elements. Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen in a two to one ratio. The chemical formula for water is H2O. Sulfuric acid is one of the most widely produced chemicals in the Unites States and is composed of the elements hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen.

Chemical symbols and formulas are used in everyday life by doctors, engineers, researchers and more. Many of the products we use everyday have chemicals in them. See how chemical symbols and formulas are used to represent the reaction happening inside a car airbag -- a product that uses chemistry to make our lives much safer!


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