Naming basic chemical compounds is essential if you want to succeed in chemistry since the name of the compound clearly defines what it is. How to Read Structural Formulas In the remainder of this book the descriptions of each ingredient include the chemical formula for the ingredient. Learning the elements is essential to success in chemistry.
The formulae for most elements is just their symbol.
Molecular formulas do not indicate how the atoms are arranged in the molecule. Condensed formulas can be read from either direction and H 3 C is the same as CH 3 although the latter is more common. In a chemical formula the elements in a compound are represented by their chemical symbols and the ratio of different elements is represented by subscripts. For atoms that have two or more present a subscript is written after the symbol for that atom.