What happens if you change a subscript in a correctly written chemical formula?

1 Answer
Feb 24, 2017

You end up discussing an entirely different compound, one that may or may not exist in reality.

For example, #"NO"_2# exists. #"N"_2"O"# exists. #"N"_2"O"_5# exists. #"N"_37"O"_2# surely does not, because it would be ridiculous to have 37 nitrogen atoms attached to only two oxygens.

A chemical formula defines what a compound's composition is. Alter the subscripts and you completely change what the compound is...