What Is Chemical Formula

Chemical Formula:

Chemical formula is a way of representing a substance using symbols and numbers. It tells us what elements make up the substance and how many of each element are present.

Example:

The chemical formula for water is H₂O. This tells us that water is made up of two hydrogen atoms (symbolised by H) and one oxygen atom (symbolised by O).
The chemical formula for carbon dioxide has the chemical formula CO2. This means that it is made up of one carbon atom (symbolised by C) and two oxygen atoms (symbolised by O).

Compounds:

Compounds are made up of two or more different elements that are chemically bonded together. An element is a type of material that can’t be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. So, when we combine two or more elements, we get a compound.

Example:

Water is a compound made up of two elements: hydrogen and oxygen. The chemical formula for water is H₂O, which means it contains two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. When these atoms bond together, they form a molecule of water.
Salt is made up of two elements: sodium and chlorine. The chemical formula for salt is NaCl, which means it contains one sodium atom and one chlorine atom. When these atoms bond together, they form a compound we call sal

Mixture:

A mixture is when you combine two or more different pure substances physically.

Example:

Mix sugar and water, and you get a sweet liquid called sugar water.
A mixture of different snacks like nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate chips all mixed.

Keep in Mind:

When you mix things, they don’t change their chemical properties or combine to create something new. Instead, they just become physically combined. This means that you can usually still see and identify the different parts of the mixture. Mixtures may exist in either solid, liquid or gas.

Example:

In trail mix, you can still see the individual nuts and pieces of fruit.

A few of them are:

Saltwater: A mixture of salt and water.
Air: A mixture of gases, primarily nitrogen and oxygen, with small amounts of other gases like carbon dioxide, argon, and neon.
Blood: A mixture of red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma.

Differences between Homogenous and Heterogenous mixtures:

Homogeneous Mixtures	Heterogeneous Mixtures
Uniform composition throughout the mixture.	Non-uniform composition throughout the mixture.
Particles are evenly distributed and cannot be easily distinguished.	Particles are unevenly distributed and can be easily distinguished.
Also known as solutions.	Also known as suspensions, colloids, or emulsions.
Examples include saltwater, air, and gasoline.	Examples include blood, salad dressing, and muddy water.
Can be separated by physical methods such as distillation and filtration.	Can be separated by physical methods such as centrifugation and sedimentation.
Properties are the same throughout the mixture.	Properties may vary throughout the mixture.

Differences between elements, compounds and mixtures:

Property	Element	Compound	Mixture
Definition	A substance made up of only one type of atom	A substance made up of two or more different types of atoms chemically combined	A combination of two or more substances that are not chemically combined
Composition	Contains only one type of atom	Contains two or more types of atoms in a fixed ratio	Contains two or more substances in varying ratios
Properties	Has a unique set of physical and chemical properties	Has unique physical and chemical properties that are different from its constituent elements	May have properties that are similar to its constituent substances or new properties altogether
Separation	Can be broken down into simpler substances through chemical reactions	Can only be separated through chemical reactions	Can be separated through physical means such as filtration, distillation, and evaporation
Examples	Iron, Oxygen	Water, Carbon dioxide	Air, Saltwater