Question

Question #f918d

Answer 1

The molecular formula tells us two things: which elements are present in the compound and the ratio of elements.

Explanation:

The molecular formula `AlCl_3` tells us that the compound aluminum chloride contains the elements aluminum (Al) and chlorine (Cl).

The formula also tells us that the ratio of aluminum atoms to chlorine atoms is 1:3. For every aluminum atom, there are 3 chlorine atoms.

The molecular formula `N_2O_5` tells us that the compound dinitrogen pentoxide contains the elements nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O).

The formula also tells us that the ratio of nitrogen atoms to oxygen atoms is 2:5. For every 2 nitrogen atoms, there are 5 oxygen atoms.